New Crop Of PINZ Award Finalists Named
The seventh annual Primary Industries NZ Awards are a highlight of the two-day PINZ Summit taking place at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre 24 and 25 June.
"With tariff tit-for-tat sparking disruption and uncertainty in export markets, more than ever New Zealand needs the primary sector to be innovative and enterprising," Federated Farmers Chief Executive Terry Copeland says.
"The PINZ Awards celebrate our primary industry movers and shakers - the science and food production teams delivering a market edge for our exported goods, the leaders who go the extra mile.
"Their efforts inspire others and lift the employment prospects and standard of living for fellow Kiwis," Copeland says.
Rural Hero finalists are (the late) Chris Allen, Neil Bateup and Ian Jury.
Allen, who died in an accident on his Ashburton farm last December, gave 14 years' service as an elected Federated Farmers leader, including eight years on the national board.
A champion of rural causes, he steered a pragmatic and balanced approach on environment and water issues, earning respect not just from farmers but from those with opposing views.
Neil Bateup helped set up the Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Rural Support Trust in 2004 and in 2017 became founding chair of the NZ RST. He's given countless hours supporting farmers and rural families facing hard times.
The third Rural Hero finalist is Ian Jury, an 85-year-old who for 20 years has been raising money for the Taranaki rescue helicopter by collecting batteries for recycling.
Four young women selected as Emerging Leader Award finalists illustrate the depth of talent being fostered in our primary industries.
Bridie Virbickas succeeded in her bid for one of the hotly-contested DairyNZ Associate director roles and followed that by joining waste recycling enterprise AgRecovery as a foundation trustee.
A contract milker who has overseen expansion of her employing farm from 270 to 850 cows, she put up her hand to be Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty sharefarmer chair to ensure a voice for the district's young farmers is at the decision-making table.
The role has seen her help out in a number of cases where the relationship between a sharefarmer and farm owner had broken down.
Imogen Brankin has only been with Silver Fern Farms for three years but the On-Farm Sustainability Advisor has organised 60 'Know Your Number' climate change workshops.
She was winner of the 2022 Polson Higgs and Young Farmers Innovation Competition, speaking on the topic "Can Farming Deliver a Sustainable Future for New Zealand", and was part of a team of five who competed in the 2023 IFAMA Global Case Study Competition.
Newly appointed Onions NZ general manager Kazi Talaska has served on the Food and Fibre Youth Council, latterly as chair, and champions the Vegetable Industry Centre of Excellence to support the vegetable industry research pipeline.
Talaska worked with industry partners and growers to obtain $2 million in funding to set up a first-of-its-kind vegetable research farm, in Pukekohe.
The fourth Emerging Leader Award finalist is agricultural sustainability coach Lucy Brown. Through her work with the MPI-funded Integrated Farm Planning project, and in other roles, she's found ways to show farmers sustainability is not just a theoretical concept but something that is practical and achievable.
Molesworth Station manager James (Jim) Ward is up against senior AgResearch scientists Dr Robyn Dynes and David Wheeler for the Champion Award.
For nearly two decades, Ward has been a force on the Federated Farmers High Country committee and the Wilding Pine Network NZ, where he has tirelessly advocated for change, shaped policies, and driven meaningful improvements for New Zealand high-country farmers.
Starting off as farm manager at Molesworth in 2001, Ward has faced and overcome countless challenges to ensure the station remains economically viable through a blend of pastoral farming, conservation, and recreation values - all under the microscope of the public eye.
Wheeler has worked hard to bridge the gap between environmental stewardship and agricultural productivity, shaping and improving the farm management tool Overseer.
Dynes, a Principal Scientist and Farmer Engagement Specialist in AgResearch, has had a highly regarded science career focused on farming systems at the interface between forage science and animal science.
Southland farmer Grant Lightfoot is a finalist for the Food, Beverage and Fibre Producer Award after creating edible and biodegradable bale netting made from jute. It's an environment-friendly alternative to plastic netting, which isn't recyclable and is often ingested by livestock.
The two other contenders in this category are Chia Sisters, who produce a gut health-supporting drink from a golden kiwifruit probiotic, kawakawa and hail-damaged cherries, and New Image International, which exports health and beauty products to millions of people around the world.
The full list of 2025 Primary Industries NZ Award finalists is:
Emerging Leader Award (sponsor Lincoln University)
Bridie Virbickas, Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty Sharemilker Chair
Imogen Brankin, On-Farm Sustainability Advisor, Silver Fern Farms
Kazi Talaska, General Manager, Onions NZ
Lucy Brown, The Whole Story
Champion Award (sponsor BASF)
David Wheeler, Senior Scientist, AgResearch
James (Jim) Ward, Manager Molesworth Station
Dr Robyn Dynes, Principal scientist and farmer engagement specialist, AgResearch
Team & Collaboration Award (sponsor Overseer)
nProve for Beef - online genetics tool, Beef + Lamb New Zealand
Food System Integrity Team, AgResearch, led by Dr Gale Brightwell
An open data sharing ecosystem: Fonterra, Ballance, Ravensdown, and LIC.
Technology Innovation Award (sponsor AsureQuality Kaitiaki Kai)
TEO for Ovitage®, the world's most complete collagen
FAR for Combine Workshops - increasing productivity on arable farms
Alliance Group NZ for Meat Eating Quality (MEQ) technology
Food, Beverage and Fibre Producer Award (sponsor Kotahi)
Chia Sisters
Kiwi Econet - founder, Grant Lightfoot
New Image International
Guardianship & Conservation/Kaitiakitanga Award (sponsor Rabobank)
Pāua Dashboard - Pāua Industry Council
The eDNA for water quality Team - led by Dr Adrian Cookson
Pacificvet, co-founder Kent Deitemeyer
Rural Hero of the Year (sponsor Fern Energy)
Chris Allen (posthumous)
Neil Bateup, Founder, Rural Support Trust
Ian Jury, Taranaki grassroots good sort
Winner to be announced on the night
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Strong Wool – Where To Next?
Press Release – Federated Farmers The national sheep flock is now about one third of what it was at its peak in the 1980s – and our influence in global markets has similarly dwindled. Federated Farmers meat & wool chair Richard Dawkins joins other farming and wool industry leaders at strong wool workshops in Otago and Southland next week. Richard writes there's reason for hope the strong wool industry has turned a corner – but farmers need to get in behind the change-makers. My earliest memories of wool are of hot summer days after weaning, shearing our mixed-aged and two-tooth mid-micron Corriedale ewes. The hum of the handpieces, my father and grandfather skirting fleeces at the table, and Marty – our long-time worker – stuffing them into the press. In the early 1980s, wool contributed 65% of our farm's sheep income. Wool was king, and sheep were a true dual-purpose animal. Today, strong wool makes up just 1-2% of gross farm income. It's become little more than an animal health treatment, rather than a value-adding enterprise. The national sheep flock is now about one third of what it was at its peak in the 1980s – and our influence in global markets has similarly dwindled. I don't want to rehash old grievances, but to comprehend what's next for us farmers and the wool industry, we must understand how we got here, and what we can improve on. Synthetic fibres rose in the 1970s, capturing market share with low cost and convenience. The collapse of the Reserve Price Scheme in 1991 removed the price floor, exposing growers to full competition with synthetics. Prices fell – and kept falling – as industry failed to adapt. The traditional supply chain couldn't deliver value to farmers, and relying on bulk commodity demand became folly. Fragmentation remains one of our biggest weaknesses. From farm to consumer, wool is handled, blended, and traded repeatedly – margins are clipped at every stage, but little is reinvested in building demand or brand. Most farmers have no idea where their wool ends up or what it becomes. Blending removes provenance, making quality and traceability – and any associated premium – almost impossible. Some have taken control, vertically integrating and creating their own brands – producing everything from high-end upholstery fabrics to luxury acoustic panels. It's inspiring, but these efforts are small compared to the 100,000 tonnes of strong wool we produce each year, most of which still leaves New Zealand as a bulk commodity. We produce 10% of the world's strong wool, and when prepared well, it's the best. The raw product and the skills are here – what's missing is a system designed to return value to the farm gate. Reform must start with the consumer and work backwards, building a value chain that works for farmers, not just the intermediaries. With all of that said, there is hope. Wool Impact is backing innovation and commercial partnerships to lift strong wool into high-value markets. With government and industry co-funding, it's helping turn R&D into real-world products. WRONZ is investing in long-term science – creating new materials and technologies to drive future demand. Campaign for Wool is lifting wool's profile with consumers, promoting its natural, renewable story. Government support is helping bring industry players together for the first time in decades, building a united front to drive value. But none of this will make a difference without farmer engagement. We must turn up, understand the issues, and support those pushing for generational change. Despite the challenges, the future of strong wool still holds promise. I hope my children can create those same fond memories in the shearing shed as I recall. We had the passion and enthusiasm for our wool, and there was excitement and buzz at shearing time. A series of farmer workshops is planned for Southland and South Otago to explore these investments and the future of wool. The change-makers will be there. Will you? The Wool Opportunity workshops are: Wednesday 27 August – Waimahaka Community Centre, 9.30-11.30am Mossburn Community Centre, 2.30-4.30pm Thursday 28 August – South Otago Town & Country Club, Balclutha, 9.30-11.30am Middlemarch Community Centre, 2.30-4.30pm
Scoop
3 hours ago
- Scoop
Strong Wool - Where To Next?
Federated Farmers meat & wool chair Richard Dawkins joins other farming and wool industry leaders at strong wool workshops in Otago and Southland next week. Richard writes there's reason for hope the strong wool industry has turned a corner - but farmers need to get in behind the change-makers. My earliest memories of wool are of hot summer days after weaning, shearing our mixed-aged and two-tooth mid-micron Corriedale ewes. The hum of the handpieces, my father and grandfather skirting fleeces at the table, and Marty - our long-time worker - stuffing them into the press. In the early 1980s, wool contributed 65% of our farm's sheep income. Wool was king, and sheep were a true dual-purpose animal. Today, strong wool makes up just 1-2% of gross farm income. It's become little more than an animal health treatment, rather than a value-adding enterprise. The national sheep flock is now about one third of what it was at its peak in the 1980s - and our influence in global markets has similarly dwindled. I don't want to rehash old grievances, but to comprehend what's next for us farmers and the wool industry, we must understand how we got here, and what we can improve on. Synthetic fibres rose in the 1970s, capturing market share with low cost and convenience. The collapse of the Reserve Price Scheme in 1991 removed the price floor, exposing growers to full competition with synthetics. Prices fell - and kept falling - as industry failed to adapt. The traditional supply chain couldn't deliver value to farmers, and relying on bulk commodity demand became folly. Fragmentation remains one of our biggest weaknesses. From farm to consumer, wool is handled, blended, and traded repeatedly - margins are clipped at every stage, but little is reinvested in building demand or brand. Most farmers have no idea where their wool ends up or what it becomes. Blending removes provenance, making quality and traceability - and any associated premium - almost impossible. Some have taken control, vertically integrating and creating their own brands - producing everything from high-end upholstery fabrics to luxury acoustic panels. It's inspiring, but these efforts are small compared to the 100,000 tonnes of strong wool we produce each year, most of which still leaves New Zealand as a bulk commodity. We produce 10% of the world's strong wool, and when prepared well, it's the best. The raw product and the skills are here - what's missing is a system designed to return value to the farm gate. Reform must start with the consumer and work backwards, building a value chain that works for farmers, not just the intermediaries. With all of that said, there is hope. Wool Impact is backing innovation and commercial partnerships to lift strong wool into high-value markets. With government and industry co-funding, it's helping turn R&D into real-world products. WRONZ is investing in long-term science - creating new materials and technologies to drive future demand. Campaign for Wool is lifting wool's profile with consumers, promoting its natural, renewable story. Government support is helping bring industry players together for the first time in decades, building a united front to drive value. But none of this will make a difference without farmer engagement. We must turn up, understand the issues, and support those pushing for generational change. Despite the challenges, the future of strong wool still holds promise. I hope my children can create those same fond memories in the shearing shed as I recall. We had the passion and enthusiasm for our wool, and there was excitement and buzz at shearing time. A series of farmer workshops is planned for Southland and South Otago to explore these investments and the future of wool. The change-makers will be there. Will you? The Wool Opportunity workshops are: Wednesday 27 August - Waimahaka Community Centre, 9.30-11.30am Mossburn Community Centre, 2.30-4.30pm Thursday 28 August - South Otago Town & Country Club, Balclutha, 9.30-11.30am Middlemarch Community Centre, 2.30-4.30pm
Scoop
a day ago
- Scoop
Law Change Could Save Farmers And Taxpayers Millions
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind a new Member's Bill that could bring much-needed clarity to New Zealand's climate change laws - and save millions in legal costs. National MP Joseph Mooney's Climate Change Response (Restriction on Civil Proceedings) Amendment Bill aims to confirm a common-sense principle: if a person or business is complying with national climate change laws, they can't be sued for causing climate-related damage. "It sounds very obvious, but that's not how the law appears to be working right now," Federated Farmers climate change spokesperson Wayne Langford says. "It's crazy that companies like Fonterra and Dairy Holdings, who are fully meeting their legal climate obligations right now, can still be dragged into court and sued for allegedly causing harm through emissions. "We fully support Joseph Mooney's Bill, which will restore some much-needed common sense and save farmers, food processors and taxpayers millions of dollars in court costs." Climate activist Mike Smith is taking seven major New Zealand companies, including Fonterra and Dairy Holdings, to court over their greenhouse gas emissions. He says the emissions are harming Māori land and culture, and is claiming public nuisance, negligence, and breach of a duty to stop contributing to climate change. The High Court threw out two of the claims but allowed the third to proceed. After appeals from both sides, the Supreme Court has now reinstated all three claims, allowing the case to go to trial, and the matter is now back in front of the High Court. Federated Farmers says the case sets a dangerous precedent. "Every New Zealander contributes to climate change in some way," Langford says. "When you turn on a light switch, cook dinner, drive your car - even an EV - you're using energy and consuming goods. All of that has emissions behind it." In most cases, those emissions come from companies operating within New Zealand's legal framework - following rules set out under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), reporting requirements, and other regulatory obligations. "So, it's silly stuff to then try and sue those law-abiding companies," Langford says. He points out that long-lived carbon dioxide emissions are already captured under the ETS, and the Government is actively investing in research and tools to help farmers reduce their short-lived methane emissions. "If these companies are following the rules, there has to be some certainty and protection in that, or the legal risk becomes unmanageable." Mooney's Bill would provide that certainty by spelling out in law that private legal action cannot be taken against individuals or companies for their greenhouse gas emissions, provided they're complying with climate laws already set by Parliament. "Rather than force the courts to debate and decide what the law in New Zealand is, this Bill would allow Parliament to exert its authority and define the law," Langford says. He says it's no different from how things work in other areas of law. "If a property developer gets resource consent to build a high-rise apartment, the neighbours can't turn around and sue them for the shade or noise. "That's because we recognise the developer has done everything required under the law to get permission. "Why should climate law be treated any differently?" Smith's lawsuit covers major electricity generators, petrol retailers, dairy farming and dairy processing. Langford warns that if Smith's case is successful, it would see a host of vital industries face major cost and risk. The case could open the floodgates to further lawsuits against other industries that also produce emissions, even if they're fully compliant with New Zealand's climate regulations. "In practice, the only way for those industries to avoid legal risk would be to stop emitting entirely - meaning they'd effectively have to shut down overnight." He says that would be economically disastrous and would leave the Government scrambling to urgently rewrite the law to protect the economy. "If the case is successful, Parliament will simply be forced to urgently change the law. Let's not wait for that crisis. Parliament should clarify the law now, before this goes any further." Federated Farmers is urging the Government to adopt Mooney's Bill as a Government Bill, which would significantly speed up its passage through Parliament. "Rather than wait for Fonterra and Dairy Holdings to go through a lengthy and expensive High Court process - something that will also cost taxpayers dearly - the Government should step in now and provide certainty. "We need to focus our time, energy and taxpayer dollars on solutions that actually reduce emissions, not on endless litigation against companies doing everything the law requires."
