He was the banker who became a farmer who became the president of rural lobby organisation Federated Farmers.
Now, a year down the track, Bruce Wills says he is very encouraged with the progress made since he was elected in July last year.
Mr Wills spent more than 20 years in the banking industry before the opportunity arose for him to return to the family farm, Trelinnoe, on which he grew up, to farm in partnership with his brother, Scott, eight years ago. . .
Professor excited about new role – Sally Rae:
Professor Claire Massey’s new role as director of agrifood business at Massey University brings together her interest in entrepreneurship and her agricultural background.
And it is a job that she could not be happier about. “I’m so excited about it, I really, really am,” she told the Otago Daily Times recently.
Brought up on a dairy farm at Karaka, near Auckland, she is also the great-granddaughter of former prime minister William Ferguson Massey, and the university’s namesake. . .
Two farm industry groups are joining the national farm database FarmsOnLine.
From September Ovis Management Ltd (OML) and Johne’s Management Ltd (JML) will share their farmer contact details with the database.
“This is the information that we already use in our work to manage and control sheep measles and Johne’s Disease in sheep and deer,” says OML/JML joint chairman Geoff Neilson, Dunedin. . .
North Island overtakes South Island as sheep central:
Federated Farmers is welcoming Beef+Lamb NZ’s Economic Service confirming declines in the national sheep flock and beef herd may now be at an end. It also confirms the North Island has become the dominant island for both sheep and beef.
“It shows what a couple of good back to back seasons can do for stock numbers and morale,” observed Jeanette Maxwell, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson. . .
Lincoln University has recognised the efforts of South Canterbury dairy farmer Alvin Reid, who’s given many years service to the university.
Mr Reid farms at Winchester, just north of Temuka, and has been awarded the Lincoln University Medal.
He has interests in five dairy and dry stock properties covering 1300 hectares.
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