OPINION: After six years of being passed over for every Arts luvvie in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, agriculture has finally got some overdue recognition with the 2024 King’s Honours list bestowing gongs on some of our finest.
Top of the list, in your old mate’s opinion, is long-serving Affco chairman, King Country farmer and Federated Farmers life member Sam Lewis.
He has helmed the venerable meat company since 1999, steering it through the full range of seasons and structures.
He started as an area representative on the board when it was a farmer co-op and stayed on as it went public, becoming chairman.
He was still there when Open Country took it private a few years later.
Congrats to Sam and all the other ag recipients.