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Mid-Canterbury farming leader Chris Allen.
Tributes have flowed in from around the country for mid-Canterbury farming leader Chris Allen who died in a tragic accident on his farm near Ashburton.
Allen served on the board of Federated Farmers for more than eight years and took on the challenging portfolio of water and biodiversity.
Feds national president Wayne Langford says there were a few tears in the organisation's national office when the news came through.
"I have been flooded with messages from right across the country from people who Chris has worked with or had been a part of their lives," he says.
Langford says Allen will be remembered for his collaborative nature, his ability to get on with people from all walks of life and to come up with workable solutions - not only for farmers but also the environment as well.
"He had a quote which I will always remember and one that really defines him. It was 'Things need to be sensible, practical and affordable'. This is a quote that can be applied across a lot of issues," he says.
Allen and his wife Ann-Maree farmed an irrigated sheep and beef property near Mt Somers. Neighbour and Feds mid-Canterbury president, David Acland says people are just gutted and shaken at his sudden death.
"He had incredible mana and was widely respected by politicians of all political parties. He was a person who could work across groups and parties and find a way forward," he says.
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
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Another Australian state has given the green light to virtual fencing, opening another market for Kiwi company Halter.
Farmer interest continues to grow as a Massey University research project to determine the benefits or otherwise of the self-shedding Wiltshire sheep is underway. The project is five years in and has two more years to go. It was done mainly in the light of low wool prices and the cost of shearing. Peter Burke recently went along to the annual field day held Massey's Riverside farm in the Wairarapa.
Applications are now open for the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards, set to be held at Parliament on 23 July.
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