Hunt on for leader

Dairy Women’s Network is on the hunt for an inspiring industry leader.

Nominations open for the sixth Dairy Woman of the Year open on February 1.

‘‘There is no shortage of potential winners out there doing amazing things in the industry every day,’’ said network trustee Alison Gibb.

‘‘It’s just that these women often don’t realise that what they are doing is exceptional because they are driven by their own beliefs and passions without knowing the effect they are having on the wider industry at the time and in the future.’’

Gibb says the 2017 winner, who will be announced at the Network’s conference in Queenstown in May, will be someone who is passionate about the industry, is a leader in her attitude and who is out there making things happen beyond the farm gate and beyond her community.

‘‘She will be in fabulous company with our five previous winners Barbara Kuriger, Justine Kidd, Charmaine O’Shea, Katie Milne and Rebecca Keoghan.’’

Kuriger is now the Taranaki-King Country National MP, Kidd has recently stepped down as the network’s chair and been appointed as the Milk New Zealand chief executive, O’Shea is the chair of the Agri-Women’s Development Trust and Milne was elected to the Westland Milk Products Board last month.

As the most recent award recipient, Keoghan featured on Country Calendar in December.

The judging panel comprises a trustee representative, previous Dairy Women of the Year, a Fonterra representative and one of the network’s prime partners.

Dairy Woman of the Year has been sponsored by Fonterra since its inception more than five years ago.