Tapawera farmer to lead Nelson Fed Farmers

Nelson Federated Farmers

Tapawera sheep and beef farmer Kerry Irvine has been elected president of Nelson Federated Farmers, following the group’s recent AGM.

He takes over from Murchison dairy farmer Stephen Todd, who has led the Nelson team for the past three years.

Kerry, who has served for many years as the Meat and Fibre chair for Nelson Federated Farmers, is a passionate advocate for the sector.

“We’re good at farming, but not so good at telling our story,” he said.

“The products we produce, our roots to the land, the story that has built New Zealand. We’re world leaders in grass-fed products with the lowest carbon footprint in the world. That’s a story we need to celebrate.”

Kerry also gave a ‘big thank you’ to outgoing president Stephen Todd for his service and said he’s looking forward to the opportunities ahead and working with the agricultural community.

Federated Farmers is a lobby and advocacy group representing farmers and rural communities. With a network of 24 regional branches, it supports a wide range of sectors including dairy, meat and wool, goats, rural butchery, arable farming, and high-country operations. The organisation plays a key role in lobbying on farming issues at both national and regional levels.

The AGM also featured an engaging presentation from Forsyth Barr, who spoke about the ups and downs of Fonterra shares, marketing opportunities overseas for NZ milk powder, and more. This was followed by Grant Ruthven from FMG Richmond, who discussed FMG’s continued commitment to both the local community and Nelson Federated Farmers.

The evening concluded with an address by national president and Golden Bay dairy farmer Wayne Langford.

He shared insights on the recent changes Federated Farmers has implemented to simplify membership categories, make social media content more relatable, speed up communications, and reduce email volume to members. He also outlined his plans for the year ahead. Many attendees commented on the positive transformations and strong results seen under Wayne’s leadership.

Federated Farmers is always looking for passionate volunteers to get involved. Once you’re part of the organisation, you quickly gain a deeper appreciation of its wide-reaching influence and the importance of being part of the team. To learn more or to get involved, email [email protected]