Farmer confidence dips slightly, but positivity still dominates
Farmer confidence has taken a slight dip according to the final Rabobank rural confidence survey for the year.
Rabobank's regional manager for Australia and New Zealand, Mark Wiessing, is joining the bank's NZ board.
He replaces Lara Yocarini, who is stepping down after more than three years on the Rabobank New Zealand board.
Subject to regulatory approval, Yocarini has taken up a new role as chief executive officer of Rabobank's global asset finance subsidiary De Lage Landen (DLL). She will also be a member of Rabobank's managing board. Wiessing had more than 30 years' international experience in the financial sector, including postings in South America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.
He joined Rabobank in 2006 and was regional manager South America and chief executive officer for Brazil for eight years prior to his appointment as regional manager for Rabobank Australia and New Zealand in May 2023.
Before joining Rabobank, Wiessing held roles with other leading financial institutions, including Standard Bank of South Africa, Citibank and ING.
Farmer interest continues to grow as a Massey University research project to determine the benefits or otherwise of the self-shedding Wiltshire sheep is underway. The project is five years in and has two more years to go. It was done mainly in the light of low wool prices and the cost of shearing. Peter Burke recently went along to the annual field day held Massey's Riverside farm in the Wairarapa.
Applications are now open for the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards, set to be held at Parliament on 23 July.
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.
Forest & Bird's Kiwi Conservation Club is inviting New Zealanders of all ages to embrace the outdoors with its Summer Adventure Challenges.
Grace Su, a recent optometry graduate from the University of Auckland, is moving to Tauranga to start work in a practice where she worked while participating in the university's Rural Health Interprofessional Programme (RHIP).
Two farmers and two farming companies were recently convicted and fined a total of $108,000 for environmental offending.

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