Conveyance Allowance Increase Welcomed by Rural Women
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) and Federated Farmers say they welcome the announcement last week that the Government will increase the conveyance allowance by 30%.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) has announced Sandra Kirby will take over as the organisation's new chief executive.
Kirby is an experienced chief executive across member organisations and the not-for-profit sector, most recently as chief executive of Physiotherapy New Zealand and Arthritis New Zealand.
She started with Rural Women New Zealand on 18th November.
Kirby says she is honoured to join RWNZ in such an auspicious year.
“With a strong foundation of innovation and passionate people, I look forward to building on the legacy that supports future generations of rural women,” she says.
RWNZ national president Sandra Matthews says it's great to have Kirby onboard.
"She brings extensive experience from her previous roles, and a career comprising of over two decades dedicated to service and improving the lives of others," Matthews says.
"It's been a huge year for Rural Women New Zealand, celebrating our Centennial and growing our National Office," she says. "Now we have Sandra as our chief executive, I can't wait to see what we achieve for rural women and communities across Aotearoa."
Matthews says she thanks interim chief executive Nicola Eccleton for her contribution to the organisation over the past six months.
"Nicola joined the team during a huge period of transformation, as new staff were onboarded and our strategy updated," she says. "She has been a key part of our renewed direction that leads the organisation into the next 100 years."
There's optimism emerging among farmers on the Chatham Islands after years of an irregular and poor shipping service.
Bay of Plenty leader and General Manager of Te Tawa Kaiti Lands Trust, Hinehou Timutimu, has been announced as the 2026 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
A large-scale modern orchard development in coastal Mid-Canterbury is expected to eventually produce 116 million apples a year from 900,000 trees while also becoming a significant employer for the region.
Silver Fern Farms has announced a major capital investment valued at over $100 million to redevelop freezing, cold storage, and automation facilities at its Finegand Site near Balclutha.
A firm belief in the agricultural sector has kept the PGG Wrightson business going for 175 years, says chief executive Stephen Guerin.
The country'a largest A&P Show - Canterbury - will be "back where it belongs" this year, running from the Wednesday through Friday of Christchurch's iconic Cup Week, after a two-year experiment of running Thursday to Saturday instead.

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