Ravensdown partners with Footrot Flats to celebrate Kiwi farming heritage
Ravensdown has announced a collaboration with Kiwi icon, Footrot Flats in an effort to bring humour, heart, and connection to the forefront of the farming sector.
Ravensdown chief executive Greg Campbell has been named the 2019 Primary Industries Chief Executive of the Year at the inaugural Primary Industries Awards.
The accolade, presented at the awards function in Wellington last night, honours an outstanding chief executive working in New Zealand’s primary industries. It recognises leadership that has delivered positive change to the primary sector and promoted their organisational and reputational excellence.
Campbell says said the award is a personal honour but also much-deserved recognition of the commitment from Ravensdown’s shareholder owners and New Zealand farmers to smarter farming.
“In the six years, I’ve been at Ravensdown there has been an impressive shift toward sustainable practices, not only within our cooperative but throughout our valuable and important primary sector.
“Farmers’ are developing and adopting new and innovative technologies to tackle some of the toughest environmental issues we’re facing as a country and a planet. The leadership and excellence we see in our primary sector every day often goes overlooked, so it’s tremendous to see more attention being given to the exciting innovations being made right here in New Zealand.”
Campbell is passionate about collaboration and determined to shift perceptions of Ravensdown so that the co-operative is seen as farm nutrient and environmental experts rather than simply a fertiliser seller.
“Leadership is about listening, fronting up to challenges and welcoming scrutiny. As a sector earning $45 billion a year for New Zealand facing issues like environmental footprint, health and safety, new technology and trade disruption; the stakes are high. Of course we all can and should do better. For now I salute the real achievements being made across the primary sector and thank the judges for their kind comments.”
Award judges commented on Greg’s ability to demonstrate the important skills of partnership and relationship building as well as leading the transformation principal to the success of Ravensdown.
Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.
Arable growers worried that some weeds in their crops may have developed herbicide resistance can now get the suspected plants tested for free.
Fruit growers and exporters are worried following the discovery of a male Queensland fruit fly in Auckland this week.
Dairy prices have jumped in the overnight Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction, breaking a five-month negative streak.
Alliance Group chief executive Willie Wiese is leaving the company after three years in the role.
A booklet produced in 2025 by the Rotoiti 15 trust, Department of Conservation and Scion – now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – aims to help people identify insect pests and diseases.

OPINION: The release of the Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill to replace the Resource Management Act is a red-letter day…
OPINION: Federated Farmers has launched a new campaign, swapping ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ for ‘The Twelve Pests of Christmas’ to…