Egan thanks family, friends for ONZM honour
Greenlea Premier Meats managing director Anthony (Tony) Egan says receiving the officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) honour has been humbling.
OPINION: The Hound was given a bit of a rev-up from a reader and a NZ Honours recipient for his comments back in January about the lack of rural representation in the 2024 New Year's Honours list.
According to the 85-year-old retired dairy farmer, he was awarded a Member of New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to the local community back in 2007 - thanks to nominations from friends and associates.
He goes on to say, "The farming community needs to find out a lot more about the NZ Honours process, spread the word around and nominate more of our hard working farmers and do it - don't just think about it. I have done just that successfully for two of my friends and am proud and happy to have don so."
That is very good advice and with Kings Birthday coming up, it is time people in the rural community get nominating!
Zespri's sales of kiwifruit for the 2025 season have broken all past records.
Trainee orchard manager Luke St John has won the Central Otago 2026 Young Grower regional title.
James Blair, an agronomist for AS Wilcox, has won the 2026 Pukekohe Young Grower regional title.
Fifty-eight selected individuals, companies, and start-ups will exhibit their ideas and cutting-edge solutions at the 2026 Fieldays Innovation Awards, with Amazon Web Services (AWS), who joins the programme in 2026 as overall sponsor.
A rare piece of New Zealand adventure history will be on display at this year’s Fieldays, with a pair of socks worn by the late Sir Edmund Hillary to take pride of place at the Norsewear site this June.
This month's National Fieldays will again display a strong international flavour, with more exhibitors and overseas delegations in attendance.

OPINION: While we're on the topic of lumberjacks, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has no doubt used a chainsaw hundreds of…
OPINION: To a chorus of crying greenies, and not a minute too soon, the Government has moved to put the…