Mary Bowron Named Best Sheep and Beef Vet of the Year
B+LNZ's Wormwise veterinarian Mary Bowron has won the Best Sheep and Beef Vet of the Year Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to New Zealand’s sheep and beef sector.
Esther Guy-Meakin has been announced as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Kate Acland, chair of the NZMB, says Guy-Meakin is a senior trade policy and advocacy professional with experience across the public and private sectors.
"Esther has held senior roles spanning international trade negotiations, industry advocacy, strategic communications and government relations," Acland says.
“Her deep trade policy expertise and strong understanding of the red meat sector will be valuable to the Board as it continues its important work on behalf of New Zealand’s farmers and exporters.”
Guy-Meakin has had a career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), leading goods negotiations in the RCEP and India-New Zealand free trade agreements, serving as legal adviser to the Trans Pacific Partnership negotiating team, and representing New Zealand as a diplomat in New Delhi, India.
She has also held senior roles at Beef + Lamb New Zealand and the Meat Industry Association, leading trade advocacy and market access strategy for the red meat sector.
Guy-Meakin will start her new role on 3rd August.
She replaces Nick Beeby, who has been appointed chief executive of the Meat Industry Association.
Now in its fourth year, the 2026 Fencing Industry Awards, formed part of the proceedings of the FCANZ Conference, held in Nelson during August.
DairyNZ deputy chair Cameron Henderson has been re-appointed unopposed for another term.
OPINION: The stats speak for themselves.
Farms across the upper North Island are trialling different pasture mixes as part of a research programme that aims to build greater resilience into farming systems.
Election years are always a concerning time for farmers, according to DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown.
The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are coming to the West Coast of the South Island.

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