New Free Platform Connects Rural NZ With Board and Trustee Vacancies
A free online platform aggregating governance vacancies across rural and regional New Zealand has been launched.
WAIKATO MILKING Systems chief executive Dean Bell says New Zealand must rethink how to ‘sell’ the sector to young people.
“Agriculture today has many career options for young people, ... and dairy technology has been at the cusp of innovation and growth. But to maintain that momentum we need the brightest and best. Investing in those young people is an investment in the future of this company, New Zealand agriculture and the economy.
“[About] 100 graduates enter New Zealand primary industries each year but we need ten times that if the sector… is to achieve its potential.”
Waikato Milking Systems is a partner in the St Paul’s College centre for excellence. It has hosted visits from senior St Paul’s faculty and current Year 13 students.
The school’s principal, Grant Lander, says much of the agribusiness curriculum development has been with agri organisations, universities and business. “Everyone is excited at what we have done so far and what we can still achieve…. we’re helping create something of national significance – innovative and ground breaking.”
Lander says secondary schools lack a structured, national programme to encourage students to study agricultural science and business in preparation for their tertiary study.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
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