Ahuwhenua Trophy 2025: Northland winners take top Māori sheep & beef awards
Northlanders scooped the pool at this year's prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy Awards - winning both the main competition and the young Maori farmer award.
Herd improvement company CRV Ambreed has announced the appointment of a new field consultant to look after its clients in the lower Northland Region.
The appointment fills a gap for the area, which hasn't had its own dedicated field consultant for close to six months.
Brittany Hartstone starts in the field consultant role on January 12 and will service CRV Ambreed's clients in the Rodney, Kaipara and Waipu areas.
Hank Lina, regional sales and services manager for the Northern part of North Island says Hartstone's appointment is crucial to continuing to build the trust and respect from farmers in this area, and he's very confident that the right person was selected for the role.
"We have some very valued and loyal clients in the lower Northland Region and we're really looking forward to Brittany joining our team and offering the high standard of personal service that our field consultants are renowned for, to farmers there again," says Lina.
Hartstone started with the CRV Ambreed customer services team in August and had previously worked for RD1/Farm Source in the sales team, where she says she grew to love sales.
Having grown up on an 800-acre dairy farm in Raglan, in the Waikato, and spent 12 months working on a dairy farm in Morrinsville, she said she has a passion and respect for the industry that she is excited to put into practice in her new role.
"I think dairy farming is the backbone of New Zealand. I'm incredibly passionate about this industry, animal health and welfare and supporting my clients to get the best results from their herds," says Hartstone.
"I'm looking forward to getting out and meeting my clients, finding out where they're at, where they want to go and what their struggles are.
"While every farmer has different goals based on their farm type, region, market conditions and environmental factors, one thing they all have in common is a focus on achieving a high performing herd, and that's where I can help."
CRV Ambreed employs more than 50 part-time and full-time field consultants throughout the country who work alongside farmers to provide advice and personal assistance to help them reach their farming business targets.
Hartstone will join other field consultants Alistair Cullen, Bryce Shuker, Dennis Litt, Dianne Wilson, John Kimberley, Roger Perry and Elaine Nimmo to service the Northern part of the North Island.
Canterbury farmer Michelle Pye has been elected to Fonterra’s board for a three-year term.
Farmers are welcoming the announcement of two new bills to replace the under-fire Resource Management Act.
The Government has announced it will immediately roll over all resource consents for two years, with legislation expected to pass under urgency as early as this week.
The New Zealand National Fieldays Society has achieved a major sustainability milestone - reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and reaching the target five years early.
Fonterra's 2025/26 financial year is off to a strong start, with a first quarter group profit after tax of $278 million- up $15m on the previous year.
Government plans to get rid of regional councillors shows a lack of understanding of the fundamental problem affecting all of local government - poor governance.
OPINION: The rural sector is set to receive some good news from the Government this week.
OPINION: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been on a charm offensive with farmers.