Hawkes Bay sheep and beef farmer Bruce Wills has been elected national president of Federated Farmers.
Mr Wills has succeeded Southland farmer Don Nicolson who retired at the organisation's annual meeting in Rotorua yesterday, after a three-year tenure of the position.
Four nominations were received for the presidency - the most seeking the office in the organisation's history - and it was also the first contested election for the position since the early 1990s.
South Canterbury farmer, biotechnologist and current Federated Farmers South Canterbury provincial president, Dr William Rolleston, was elected vice-president.
Willy Leferink (Ashburton) is the new chairman of the organisation's dairy industry group, while Jeanette Maxwell (Mt Hutt) is the new meat and fibre chairwoman - the first woman elected to the position.
Ciaran Tully continues as sharemilkers section chairman.