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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.
According to the latest Federated Farmers banking survey, farmers are more satisfied with their bank and less under pressure, however, the sector is well short of confidence levels seen last decade.
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Federated Farmers has launched a new campaign, swapping "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for "The Twelve Pests of Christmas" in an effort to highlight the most troublesome farm pests.
Applications are now open for the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards, set to be held at Parliament on 23 July.
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Two farmers and two farming companies were recently convicted and fined a total of $108,000 for environmental offending.
According to Ravensdown's most recent Market Outlook report, a combination of geopolitical movements and volatile market responses are impacting the global fertiliser landscape.
