Deliverance
OPINION: Rural services such as banks, health and postal services have been declining for years, so this mutt was tickled pink to hear Rural Women NZ on national TV slamming the impact of post office closures in rural areas.
Entries are now open for the 2015 Enterprising Rural Women Awards (ERWA).
The awards aim to give women who run their own rural businesses the opportunity to boost their profiles and gain recognition for their achievements.
“This year is very special as we have a lot of interest in the awards and we’re already fielding enquiries from women keen to enter,” says Rural Women NZ national president, Wendy McGowan.
Last year’s supreme winners, Keri Johnston and Haidee McCabe from Irricon Resource Solutions have come on board as sponsors. They are enthusiastic about the awards and want to encourage other women in rural businesses to have an opportunity to get the benefits that their business has gained since winning in 2014.
To enter the awards, women have to own and operate a small business with less than 10 full time equivalent staff, based in a rural area. The business must have been running for at least two years. If in partnership, women must be an active partner of 50% or more in the business.
There are four award categories in 2015:
Love of the Land – for land based businesses.
Help! I need somebody – for businesses providing any type of service, from retailers to agricultural contractors.
Making it in Rural – for businesses that involve manufacturing or creativity.
Stay, Play Rural – for businesses engaged in rural tourism or hospitality.
Each category winner will receive $1,000 in prize money and a trophy, with a further $1,000 going to the supreme winner.
Entries close Friday 18 September. The awards will be presented at the Rural Women NZ national conference in Nelson on Saturday 21 November.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.