Ravensdown Elects Montgomery, Acland to Board
Ravensdown shareholders have elected Jane Montgomery and Kate Acland to the Ravensdown Board for three-year terms, following a closely contested director election.
OPINION: Your old mate suggests the demise of former Beef+Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison has done little to change that organisation’s poor understanding about how its farmers are really feeling.
According to new B+LNZ chair Kate Acland, its recent round of farmer feedback sessions – which media were banned from attending – allowed it to outline the “benefits it’s delivering farmer levypayers”.
She added that it was “disappointing” to hear that many farmers “question the value and purpose of B+LNZ”.
Acland claimed the answer was “better communication” from the levy-funded organisation to farmers about what it does on behalf of farmers.
The new B+LNZ chair will be hoping that farmer sentiment towards her organisation picks up soon or she and her fellow directors will find themselves in the same boat as the old Wool Board and voted out of existence at the next levy referendum.
Farmers have until the end of this week to help shape DairyNZ’s future focus.
Wayne McNee, chief executive of AgriZeroNZ, has resigned and will leave the organisation on 15 January 2027.
The New Zealand dairy sector set a record in the 2025/26 season, producing more than two billion kilograms of milksolids for the first time.
Milk powder prices are continuing their merry run, firming up a potential $10/kgMS farmgate price this season.
Teachers are welcoming the outgoing Government’s U-turn allowing agriculture and horticultural science to remain a standalone Year 11 subject.
Outgoing ACT MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron says Saturday’s election result reflects voters deeply impacted by the cost of living.