Jo Sheridan is Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year
Waikato farmer, and Owl Farm demonstration manager, Jo Sheridan is the 2025 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
It is a sector-wide initiative by Federated Farmers, DairyNZ, Dairy Women’s Network and NZ Young Farmers, launched last month at a Federated Farmers event in Wellington.
DairyNZ people team leader Jane Muir says the campaign has four simple targets to encourage and grow the next generation of exceptional employers.
It aims to ensure that dairy farming employers know what a good boss is, what is expected of them, and that they are implementing the changes needed to enhance their workplaces where it’s needed.
Muir says in dairy there are around 11,500 dairy farming businesses: most employ someone to help run the farm.
“So the Good Boss campaign is about getting the conversation going – what makes a good boss? How and why is a good boss, a good boss?
“We want a dairy sector of good bosses. For some, it’s about assessing their performance against good employment practice, which includes health and safety, wellbeing and tenancy arrangements.
“And for others, it can be about reinforcing a good work-lifestyle balance through flexible roster options or team building activities.
“There’s loads of ways to be a good boss and farmers have access to tools, resources and other farming leaders, to help them grow a better workplace and ensure their team is supported and understand their roles and responsibilities.”
Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Chris Lewis says good work environments help attract and retain the motivated and capable people in our industry.
“These environments must be productive, rewarding, safe and enjoyable for all. We can achieve this by listening to employees and providing them with the tools they need,” says Lewis.
“A successful employee means a successful business, and ultimately underpins the success of our sector.
“The ultimate measure of success for our Good Boss campaign is that employees recommend working on their current farm to a friend – because they have a good (maybe even great) boss!”
Are you a good boss?
Farmers are being encouraged to join the Good Boss campaign and share what being a good boss means to them.
Farm teams are encouraged to tell what they value in a good boss by sending in a 15-20 second video explaining what a ‘good boss’ means to them. Every video entry gives a chance to win a barbecue worth $1000, while the winning video in the Young Farmers category will earn their club $1,000 Farm Source voucher.
Entries can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., no later than 5pm, Tuesday, March 31.
