Red meat rebound
The red meat sector is poised for a strong rebound this season, with export receipts forecast to top $10 billion and farm profitability to almost double.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has appointed Bayden Barber as an independent board director.
Barber farms Angus cattle on a 100-acre block in Waimārama, Hawke’s Bay, and is chairman of Waimārama Section 3 Block 2 Trust, which consists of forestry and dry stock farming.
He is also a trustee of the Tiakitai Estate, which is leased to Horizon Farms.
A Hastings District councillor, Barber and his wife Myra run a consulting business, Ipurangi Developments Limited.
He is a member of the Hawke’s Bay Rural Advisory Group and a director of Health Hawke’s Bay Limited, a Primary Health Organisation.
Barber is also a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors, sits on the board of Te Taura Whiri o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) and is a trustee on the Māori Education Trust, representing the New Zealand Māori Council.
He is of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi and Ngāi Tahu descent.
B+LNZ chairman Andrew Morrison says he welcomes the appointment.
“Bayden will bring an excellent mix of governance, rural expertise, business acumen and cultural capability to support Beef + Lamb New Zealand to achieve our strategic goals and objectives,” Morrison says.
“I would also like to acknowledge the excellent contribution made by Melissa Clark-Reynolds over her term as an independent director.”
The independent director position is designed to bring independent judgement and outside experience to the board.
B+LNZ’s current board is composed of six farmer-elected directors, who are regionally representative, two meat industry appointees, and an independent director.
Barber commences his role on 1 February 2021.
Metallica's charitable foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), teamed up with Meet the Need this week for a food packing event held at the New Zealand Food Network warehouse in Auckland.
After two years, Alliance Group has returned to profit.
According to Zespri's November forecast for the 2025/26 season, returns are likely to be up for all fruit groups compared to the last forecast in August.
Next month, wool training will reach one of New Zealand's most remote communities, the Chatham Islands - bringing hands-on skills and industry connection to locals eager to step into the wool harvesting sector.
Farmers' health and wellbeing will take centre stage with a new hub at the 2026 East Coast Farming Expo.
Dannevirke farmer Dan Billing has been announced as the new national chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand's (B+LNZ) Farmer Council.

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