Strong growth in farm salaries - report
A new report shows farm employers across the dairy, sheep and beef, and arable sectors have continued to invest strongly in one of their greatest assets – their staff.
FEDERATED FARMERS' Dairy Industry Group has elected Feilding farmer Andrew Hoggard as its new chairman.
The Federation's dairy council also elected Waikato's Chris Lewis to be one of two vice-chairmen, joining Kevin Robinson who was reconfirmed in that role.
"I am stoked dairy farmers have placed their faith in me," says Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers new dairy chairperson.
"Willy (Leferink) has been a great leader and it is comforting to know he's just at the end of the telephone," he says.
"The challenges and arguments about dairy have grabbed the headlines but this has masked many of the good things dairy farmers are doing.
"When I first became a dairy chairperson in Manawatu-Rangitikei, non-compliance was running at 16% but today it's 3%."
"Federated Farmers worked closely with Horizons Regional Council and despite what may have blown up in the media from time to time, they have a good relationship now, he says.
"To me, building that relationship is a template for how we should roll in other regions. My philosophy as a farmer and a leader is to be proactive and not reactive.
"We've also got a bloody good environmental story to tell and I am so keen to get it told," Hoggard says.
Hoggard farms 560 cows near Feilding across 300ha and has two children aged five and three with his wife Audra. His farm is on the banks of the Oroua River and his family draws their drinking water from that river too.
Hoggard believes in precision agriculture and is applying technology to his farming operation. Thanks to a recent Vodafone upgrade in Kimbolton, he now enjoys cellular coverage across most of his farm.
Third-year student Cady Burns has won the Waikato Regional Council Prize in Water Science for 2024.
The Rural Change programme, providing free private mental health professional sessions to the rural industry, is set to continue its next chapter within Rural Support Trust from 1 July 2024.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Sam McIvor will step down in July.
A new report shows farm employers across the dairy, sheep and beef, and arable sectors have continued to invest strongly in one of their greatest assets – their staff.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.