increase font size
Federated Farmers 2013 Allflex Agri Business Person is Kingi Smiler, chairman of the Wairarapa Moana Inc. The 2013 Agri Personality is former Fonterra cooperative group chairman, Sir Henry van der Heyden.
They were named in the Vodafone/Federated Farmers Cream of the Crop Awards at the Feds' annual conference in Ashburton.
President Bruce Wills says for the Agri Personality of the Year van der Heyden was easily the one person who truly stood out over the past 12 months. While he has left Fonterra his influence and mana has not diminished, he says.
The shortlist for the Allflex Agri Business Person of the Year included Landcorp's Chris Kelly, Wairarapa Moana Inc/Miraka chairman Kingi Smiler and Dr John Baker, of Baker No-Tillage.
"It was a tough decision but Kingi Smiler's gifted business leadership of Wairarapa Moana Inc, a founding shareholder in Māori Dairy Company Miraka Ltd, saw him emerge as first among equals.
"Kingi is simply put an outstanding business person, being a former partner in Ernst & Young and holding directorship across the agribusiness sphere. He is the chairman of Tairawhiti Land Development Trust and is currently a director of Mangatu Inc, the Wi Pere Trust and Wellington Rugby Union.
"If that is not enough he has also completed 19 Ironman competitions," says Wills.
A rare weather double-whammy has seen many South Island farmers having to deal with unseasonal snow while still cut off from power supplies after an unprecedented windstorm.
OPINION: Recent media commentary from Southland Federated Farmers has raised concerns among our rural communities, particularly around Environment Southland’s approach to winter grazing inspections and nitrogen reporting. But let’s be clear, much of what’s been said simply doesn’t reflect reality.
OPINION: Environment Canterbury's (ECan) decision recently to declare a so-called “nitrate emergency” is laughable.
A shameless political stunt is how Federated Farmers is describing the Canterbury Regional Council decision to declare “a nitrate emergency” on the back of its latest annual groundwater quality survey.
Federated Farmers say Environment Canterbury's decision to declare a 'nitrate emergency' is a shameless political stunt that won't help anyone.
With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.
The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) has launched the first in-market activation of the refreshed Taste Pure Nature country-of-origin brand with an exclusive pop-up restaurant experience in Shanghai.
Jayna Wadsworth, daughter of the late New Zealand wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, has launched an auction of cricket memorabilia to raise funds for I Am Hope's youth mental health work.
As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown is urging dairy farmers to participate in the 2026 Levy vote, to be held early next year.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.
OPINION: Every time politicians come up with an investment scheme where they're going to have a crack at 'picking winners'…
OPINION: What are the unions for these days?
