Kate Acland Wins Inaugural Rural Woman of the Year Award
Women up and down the country are the glue that hold rural communities together, giving so much to so many, says the inaugural Rural Woman of the year award winner Kate Acland.
Time is running out for farmers to have their say on funding two important primary sector programmes.
The New Zealand Meat Board is proposing to continue funding the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) genetics programme with a contribution of up to $700,000 and providing up to $1 million towards a new facial eczema research project.
NZMB chair Kate Acland says sheep and beef farmers were sent a joint NZMB and Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) mail-out last month, with information on the NZMB online annual meeting on March 15 and the proposals.
Farmers can provide feedback on funding the programmes by completing a form enclosed in the mail-out or by visiting the feedback page on the NZMB website. They can also register for the Annual Meeting by visiting the registration page.
Acland says she strongly encourages farmers to share their views by the closing date on 13 March.
“It’s important we’re funding projects that are relevant to farmer needs, so we’d really value feedback on the two proposed projects,” she says.
“These funds have two purposes. Firstly, as a contingency fund for the industry to restore international market confidence following a catastrophic event such as a Foot and Mouth outbreak, and secondly, as a fund for industry good projects.”
By the end of this year, the Meat Board is expected to be managing ten export quotas with an approximate export value of just under $3 billion.
Horticulture New Zealand’s Board has welcomed the re-election of grower-elected directors Alistair Petrie and Doug Brown.
The bright ideas of New Zealand's primary sector have been celebrated with an announcement of the winners of the 2026 Innovation Awards.
Newly appointed Federated Farmers vice president Sandra Faulkner says she is honoured and excited to hold the role.
New Zealand's top fencers were out in force at National Fieldays this month, demonstrating their skills with the ever-reliable number 8 wire.
New Federated Farmers president Colin Hurst says he will ensure that farmer voices are heard loud and clear wherever decisions are being made.
Paynes Titus Excelsior ET, an LIC bull bred by Brad Payne and Claire Brodie in the Waikato, has won the JT Thwaites Sire of the Season 2026 Award.

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