Southland Farmers Given 18-Month Freshwater Farm Plan Reprieve
Southland farmers staring down a May deadline to submit freshwater farm plans under current regional plan rules have been given an 18-month reprieve by the Government.
Wilma Falconer has been announced as Environment Southland’s (ES) new chief executive.
The announcement was made yesterday in a statement by ES chair Nicol Horrell.
Falconer has been a member of the ES’s executive team as it’s general manager of strategy, planning and engagement for two and-a-half years and took on the acting chief executive role after Rob Phillips retired last month.
She has also held roles at Environment Canterbury and Ngāi Tahu as well as running her own consultancy firm in Wellington.
“She has strong strategic leadership skills and a thorough grasp of the environmental issues facing the region, and our work programme to address them,” says Horrell.
He says Falconer’s appointment to the role brings continuity to the Council, something he says is highly beneficial given the increasingly complex nature of the challenges it faces.
“Wilma’s significant management experience will be crucial in leading our staff in the delivery of the broad range of services we provide for the community and the increasing workloads required for us.”
“Wilma’s expertise, energy and drive will be a real asset to the Council and I and my fellow councillors are thrilled that Wilma has accepted the position,” says Horrell.
Potatoes New Zealand and Garden to Table have partnered together to celebrate a versatile vegetable and the people behind it.
Mainland Poultry has confirmed new ownership of its vertically integrated agribusiness with Pacific Equity Partners Gateway (PEP Gateway) now joining current shareholders Navis.
The recently published State of the Industry -Tractors and Machinery 2025 from the Australian Tractor and Machinery Association (TMA), the equivalent of New Zealand’s TAMA, gives an interesting perspective of the industry.
Strong competition and tightening supply have seen wool reach its highest prices paid at auction since 2011.
The Government is funding a feasibility study to investigate what would be required for a successful farmer-led purchase of the McCain Foods' vegetable processing site in Hastings.
A young man just five years out of his Lincoln University degree already has his foot in the door of farm ownership, as equity manager of a large new dairy conversion now taking shape in Mid- Canterbury.

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