DairyNZ Celebrates Women Leaders on International Women’s Day
DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown has seen a lot of change since she first started out in the dairy sector, with around one-third of dairy farmers now women.
OPINION: The Hound understands that there is a fair bit of consternation and nerves among the big farming lobby groups - namely Feds, Beef+Lamb and DairyNZ - that they are 'losing the room' in terms of farmer support.
These groups have copped a lot of flak from their levypayers for being 'too cosy' with the Government and not pushing back hard enough on policies like greenhouse gas, water and other proposed reforms.
This is particularly worrisome for Beef+Lamb, which is facing a levy vote later this year.
Things have got so bad that Groundswell NZ recently came out and denied it was not trying to undermine the farming levy collecting industry bodies.
Groundswell spokesman Bryce McKenzie warned farmers that, "if levy votes are lost, it could be quite damaging to farming."
However, he did go on to emphasise that the farming sector needed "one, strong, united voice".
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) has released its 2026 election manifesto, outlining priorities to support the sector’s growth, resilience, and contribution to New Zealand’s food security and export revenue.
Farmers have voted to continue the Milksolids Levy that funds DairyNZ.
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell has resigned after eight years in the role.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.

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