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Philippa Dawe presents the award to Chris Lewis
Outgoing Federated Farmers national board member Chris Lewis took out the Primary Industry Champion award in Auckland last night.
Lewis has been an elected leader for Feds at regional and national level for 17 years and in recent years has stepped up that voluntary contribution to fellow farmers and the wider industry by highlighting workforce shortages, successfully advocating to government for agricultural worker border exceptions during COVID, encouraging more New Zealanders into the industry and championing the 'Good Boss' campaign.
The award was presented at the Primary Industries Conference awards dinners.
Lewis says it was a special honour - being awarded the Industry Champion Award.
‘The acknowledgement and recognition of my work, but also the work of the wider Federated Farmers team, elected and staff and supporting primary sector industry organisations.
“Thanks to those who nominated me.
“Thanks to the sponsor Norwoods, the judges and of course acknowledge the finalists in this category and other awards.
“Finally this is a huge honour for me, but the team at home, who’s also made big sacrifices, my wife Caroline, kids, parents and our staff on farm, I couldn’t do this without them.”
Also recognised for their contributions were Pamu farm manager Quinn Morgan and Professor Stewart Ledgard, AgResearch.
Morgan has also been outstanding inspiring others - particularly young Maori like himself - to look at a career in the primary industries, as well as giving back to the dairy sector and those who have helped him on his way.
Ledgard has given 40-plus years of science and leadership in soil fertility and environmental management, with a particular focus on helping grassland farmer reduce nitrogen leaching and developing the Overseer tool.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers arable chair, Bevan Lill, said Beef + Lamb NZ data indicated that for the last six years, the average arable return on investment was about 0.8% while inflation ran about 4% - so the average arable farm was going backwards at about 3% a year.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Synlait has swung to second-half profit as operations stabilise, but the dairy processor still posted a $75.4m annual loss.
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.
