Monday, 21 March 2016 14:36

Conference looks at winds of change

Written by 
Nathan Guy (pictured), Minister for Primary Industries will present the award on Wednesday, March 23 at about 9pm. Nathan Guy (pictured), Minister for Primary Industries will present the award on Wednesday, March 23 at about 9pm.

More than 130 of Australasia's leading agribusiness professionals are gathering in Wellington today for the annual Platinum Primary Producers (PPP) Conference.

Challenged with discussing the 'winds of change' currently sweeping across the farming landscapes of New Zealand and Australasia, delegates will hear from keynote speakers including Steven Carden, CEO of Landcorp Farming Ltd, Paul Morgan, chairman of Wakatu Incorporation, Prof. Jacqueline Rowarth from the University of Waikato, James Parsons, chairman of Beef + Lamb NZ, Doug Avery, Marlborough farmer, and Scottie Chapman, CEO of Spring Sheep Dairy Ltd.

The PPP Conference also marks the announcement of the 2016 recipient of the prestigious Zanda McDonald Award. In the running for the $30,000 prize package is: Wesley Lefroy, a 24 year old soil scientist from Western Australia, Dean Rabbidge, a 30 year old dairy, beef and sheep farmer from Wyndham, Southland and Erica van Reenen, a 31 year old environmental and agricultural consultant from Feilding.

Nathan Guy, Minister for Primary Industries will present the award on Wednesday, March 23 at about 9pm.

More like this

Fiancé finalists to square off

Steph Le Brocq and Sam Allen, a bride and groom-to-be, are among those set to face off in regional finals across New Zealand in the hopes of being named the Young Farmer of the Year.

Scaled-back show meets targets

Organisers of the Christchurch A&P show say they are happy with this year’s event despite a rushed turnaround that left agricultural industry support thin on the ground.

Honey industry group set to merge

A big shakeup in the honey sector is about to take place with the news that the industry good body, ApiNZ, and the export focused Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association are looking to merge to form a new industry body.

Red meat's China push

The red meat sector is launching a new campaign to lure Chinese consumers to New Zealand grass-fed beef and lamb.

Featured

DairyNZ seeks more cash

For the first time in 17 years, DairyNZ wants farmers to contribute more cash to run the industry-good organisation.

EPA's plan 'not good enough'

The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is bolstering its frontline applications teams in a bid to reduce the timeframe for new product applications, but agri chemical producers say that it isn't good enough.

Fonterra urged to seek extension to GMO bill consultation

With less than a week to go before submissions close on the Government’s controversial Gene Technology Bill, two agribusiness executives - John Greenberg and Michael Henne - are calling on Fonterra to demand an extension to the submission period.

National

Synlait sweetens milk supply deal

Canterbury milk processor Synlait is confident of retaining its farmer supplier base following a turnaround in its financial performance.

Optimism in the air

Ag First chief executive James Allen says dairy farmer optimism is on the rise.

Machinery & Products

New distributor for Aussie equipment

Australian agricultural equipment distributor, Waringa Distribution, has increased its support to South Island farmers and contractors with the appointment of…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Bovaer's fate

OPINION: The fate of methane inhibitor Bovaer in NZ farming is still up in the air.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter