Rankin gets board role

Rankin, a Taranaki farmer, is also a trustee on the Dairy Women's Network Trust and has recently ended three years as a member of the NZ Dairy Enviro Leaders Steering Committee for DairyNZ.

She also owns and operates a consultation and facilitation business Porohita, supporting farmers and rural communities.

Part of the team facilitiating Venture Taranaki's '2050 Transition to a Low Emission Economy Project' and having been a climate change ambassador for four years, Rankin has also facilitated 'regenerative ag' workshops and designed workshops on improving farm waste.

"I am excited to join team AGMARDT, an organisation that is about optimism and enabling innovative growth and learning and development in our agricultural sector,” says Rankin, who received AGMARDT funding to attend the 2020 international annual agribusiness seminar at Harvard Business School.

“Being part of a wellrun board, learning how to make governance decisions, learning about the ‘why’ of what AGMARDT is tasked to do, helping hape a better future is a fantastic opportunity,” she says.

As associate director, Rankin will attend board meetings and develop her own governance development programme in conjunction with the board during her 18-month term.

AGMARDT chairman Richard Green says they are thrilled with this appointment. “The associate board member position exists to give emerging agribusiness leaders the opportunity to observe and experience governance in action within an innovative agribusiness environment.

“Trish is a proven rural leader, a successful and award-winning dairy farmer with strong executive and governance experience and a real passion for continued professional development to support her drive to help shape a positive future for New Zealand’s food and fibres sector.

“Developing people with good leadership and governance skills is paramount given the importance of agribusiness to the New Zealand economy,” says Green.