Ravensdown partners with Footrot Flats to celebrate Kiwi farming heritage
Ravensdown has announced a collaboration with Kiwi icon, Footrot Flats in an effort to bring humour, heart, and connection to the forefront of the farming sector.
Three candidates are vying for a South Island seat on the board of fertiliser co-operative Ravensdown.
Simon Davies, Jane Montgomery and Aaron Stark filed their nominations last week. An election will be held under the first past the post electoral system, by postal and internet voting.
Voter packs will be posted out to South Island Area shareholders this Friday. Voting ends on September 22.
For the North Island seat, only one nomination was filed: sitting director Mike Davey will serve another term.
Meanwhile Ravensdown has appointed Tony Carter to its board. Ravensdown chair Bruce Wills says Carter is one of New Zealand's most experienced governors, known for his strategic leadership.
"With his extensive governance experience and commercial acumen across a broad range of sectors, Tony brings deep wisdom and foresight that will complement the existing collective skillset of the Ravensdown board.
"Importantly, he also has a real passion and understanding of co-operatives, having led Foodstuffs as chief executive and managing director for 10 years before embarking on his governance career."
Carter says it was the co-operative element that initially drew him to the role, but he's also looking forward to his first directorship in a primary sector organisation.
"Agriculture is such an integral part of New Zealand, from both an economic and cultural perspective.
"I'm excited to be joining the Ravensdown board and having an opportunity to contribute to positive outcomes for New Zealand farmers and growers."
Carter is currently chairman of New Zealand-owned technology business Datacom Group, My Food Bag, TR Group, The Interiors Group and the Skin Institute.
For the first three months of 2026, new tractor deliveries saw an increase over the previous two months, resulting in year-to-date deliveries climbing to 649 units - around 5% ahead of the same period in 2025.
QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has issued a warning saying that global fertiliser scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies into 2027.
Federated Farmers is urging Canterbury's council leaders to move quickly on local government reform.
Having represented New Zealand at the 2024 and 2005 World Ploughing Championships, in Estonia and The Czech Republic respectively, Southland contractor Mark Dillon was at Methven last month for the NZ Ploughing Champs.
New research suggests sheep and beef farmers could improve both profitability and emissions efficiency by increasing lamb weaning weights, with only marginal changes in total greenhouse gas emissions.
With six months until the election, Federated Farmers says the Government is running out of time to deliver its long-promised reform to the country's freshwater system.