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South Canterbury farmer Colin Hurst can add dairy farmer to his arable and livestock pedigree in his leadership as the new Federated Farmers national president.
Farmers voted in favour of the hands-on farmer last June to become the organisation’s leader, replacing Golden Bay farmer Wayne Langford.
Mr Hurst is a mixed arable and, more lately, dairy farmer in the Waimate area,
He said farmers were facing no shortage of challenges, but were also full of determination and optimism for the future.
“Farmers are operating in an incredibly complex environment right now, from compliance pressures through to economic uncertainty.’’
He said his job was to make sure farmers’ voices were heard loud and clear when decisions were being made.
“Together we’ll be working to make sure farmers’ experiences and perspectives are front and centre in every discussion that affects them.”
Mr Hurst said he was committed to extending the Federated Farmers’ legacy built on a 127-year history of standing up for rural New Zealand.
He praised Mr Langford for his energetic leadership during his time as president and for modernising the organisation.
He stepped into the role after serving as the vice president for three years, acting as spokesman for freshwater, biodiversity, and fire and emergency issues.
For nearly 40 years he has been a hands-on arable and livestock farmer, rising up the organisation’s ranks along the way.
He and wife Janis run a family farm on part-irrigated 700 hectares, including 450ha in arable crops such as wheat, grass seed, plantain and turnips, and the rest for grazing cattle.
Added to the arable operation is a nearby dairy farm just bought by the family.
The 2019 Arable Farmer of the Year is a former director for the Foundation for Arable Research, and volunteered his services to the South Canterbury Rural Support Trust and United Wheatgrowers.
He has also been advocate for farmers at the Seed Quality Management Authority and on the Fertiliser Quality Council.
Gisborne farmer Sandra Faulkner is the new vice-president.
She and husband Rob run a diverse operation at Wairakaia, near Gisborne, including sheep, beef, cropping, citrus, farm forestry and contracting.
Southland’s Chris Dillon joins the national board as arable chairman, taking over from Canterbury grower David Birkett. Newcomer Greg Anderson, from South Canterbury, becomes an at-large board member, alongside existing members Mark Hooper, meat and wool chairman Richard Dawkins and dairy chairman Karl Dean.