New Feds VP Ready To Work For Farmers
Newly appointed Federated Farmers vice president Sandra Faulkner says she is honoured and excited to hold the role.
If the $840 million sale of TelstraClear to Vodafone gets regulatory approval, it could strengthen the financial case for an enhanced rural broadband offer by Vodafone.
"To be honest few farmers will be directly impacted by the proposed sale of TelstraClear to Vodafone," says Anders Crofoot, Federated Farmers Telecommunications spokesperson.
"The upsides we see at Federated Farmers are TelstraClear's strong fibre network, its radio spectrum and of course, content. With TelstraClear being a Sky reseller, Vodafone gets the opportunity to integrate this content with its future offer; to rural customers especially.
"With potentially 29% of the broadband market in a combination of wired and wireless, Vodafone is poised to become a major force.
"TelstraClear's strong cable network and the spectrum it has are major drivers towards a true 4G mobile network. Something we are incredibly keen on to get ultra fast broadband from the farm and across a wide geographic spread.
"Certainly, Vodafone chief executive, Russell Stanners, was impressively upbeat at Federated Farmers recent national conference on where they want to go.
"You feel this is the first act in a larger drama involving Telecom and Vodafone. Hopefully rural customers will get to enjoy it," Crofoot says.
With the New Zealand/India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) dominating political debate here, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting New Zealand next week.
Michelle and Tony Roberts didn't inherit the farming business they have today. They’ve built it from the ground up.
“We’re not normal.” That’s how Jack Walters, executive director of Pungent Pukeko, describes his gin brand, which has just won gold at the World Gin Awards.
Dr Tim Harwood, a seafood food safety research leader, has been awarded the 2026 Significant Contribution Award at the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST) Food Industry Awards.
Today marks the first day of operations for Waikato Waters, a new council-controlled organisation established by six district councils to deliver water and wastewater services for their communities.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has announced has opened applications for the 2026/27 funding round of the Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research (GHGIR) fund.

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