Farmlands Posts Strong 2025 Half-Year Growth
Rural retailer Farmlands has released it's latest round of half-year results, labeling it as evidence that its five-year strategy is delivering on financial performance and better value for members.
Tony O'Boyle, a Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer, has been elected to the Silver Fern Farms' Board of Directors.
The result of the election which closed at 3pm on Friday, is:
· Tony O'Boyle – Wairarapa 10,779,693
· Oliver Saxton – North Waikato 8,986,745
· David Shaw – South Otago 8,907,781
· William Oliver – King Country 4,921,728
Chairman Rob Hewett says he is looking forward to working with Tony O'Boyle on the board.
"I extend a warm welcome to Tony. As indicated by the independent assessment of Tony, information that was sent to all voting shareholders, he is clearly very capable, and has come through a strong group of candidates."
Hewett says it is a "particularly interesting" time to be a part of the co-op as they works towards the completion of the 50:50 partnership with Shanghai Maling.
O'Boyle fills the position made available by long-serving Hawke's Bay director Angus Mabin, who retires at the Silver Fern Farms annual meeting on Wednesday.
"I would like to thank Angus for his dedication though his eight years on the Silver Fern Farms Board, and prior to that, the four years he served on our North Island supplier council. He is handing over the reins with our cooperative now in a sound space both financially and strategically.
"His insight into North Island issues following the Richmond purchase helped us with the significant job of rebuilding faith with members of the cooperative and suppliers in the North Island. An important role which I am sure Tony will continue to provide to decision-making around the board."
The vote represents 55.36% of total eligible shares, compared to 68.10% in the previous election in February 2015. The voter return percentage was 23.72% of eligible shareholders, compared to the February return of 30.86%.
Votes were received from 1,183 eligible voters from a total of 4,986 eligible voters.
New Zealand's diverse cheesemaking talent shone brightly last night as the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA) crowned the champions of the 2026 New Zealand Cheese Awards.
Tracing has indicated that the source of the first velvetleaf find of the 2025-26 crop season, in Auckland, was likely maize purchased in the Waikato region.
Fish & Game New Zealand has announced its election priorities in its Manifesto 2026.
With the forage maize harvest started in Northland and the Waikato, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is telling growers of later crops, or those further south, to start checking their maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when they think they will start silage harvesting.
Irrigation NZ is warning that the government's Resource Management Act (RMA) reform risks falling short of its objectives unless water use for food production and water storage infrastructure are clearly recognised in the goals at the top of the new system.
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.

OPINION: Election years are usually regarded as the silly season, but a mate of the Hound reckons 2026 is shaping…
OPINION: If farmers poured just a few litres of some pollutant into a stream, the Green Party and the wider…