Lewis new Feds dairy chairman

Former Federated Farmers Waikato president Chris Lewis has been elected the organisation’s new national dairy chairman.

The dairy farmer from Pukeatua, south of Hamilton, was voted into the position by members at the organisation’s national conference in Wellington on Wednesday.

He has served as national vice-president in the dairy section for three years and replaces Andrew Hoggard in the role.

He will join a new look board for the organisation with Miles Anderson replacing Rick Powdrell as the new meat and fibre chairman and Guy Wigley remains arable chairman. A new national president and vice-president will be elected on June 22.

Looking ahead, Lewis said the dairy section was working on a new dairy strategy, which would be released in October. Animal welfare would also be an issue with calving due to begin shortly. ‘‘There will be an increased spotlight on that again I suspect, but hopefully for the right reasons, showing that farmers are doing a great job.’’

Dairy farming and its effect on the environment and water quality also looked to be hot topic for the coming election. Dairy farmers had to keep showing the work being done to protect and improve waterways and explain to the non-farming sector how this work improved water quality.

‘‘But we also have to be realistic. Farmers still have a long way to go, we’re on a journey, but we have made really good progression on that journey. It’s about having that upfront, frank conversation.’’

The new role was also a step up in scale from working with district and regional councils at a provincial level to interacting with central government, bureaucrats and agencies in Wellington and the country’s dairy companies.

‘‘It’s similar issues but done at a national scale.’’

Being on Federated Farmers’ national board means Lewis will be allocated roles as spokesman in other areas once the board is fully elected and meets for the first time.

While the positions have yet to be made, Lewis said he was interested in issues farmers faced around employment and ensuring there were pathways for people to get into farming as a career as well as allowing farmers to use immigrants as staff if necessary. Hereford Jersey Xbred Friesian Friesian x Hereford

Friesian Angus Devon x Shorthorn x Angus x Friesian Hereford Whiteface Friesian Friesian x Hereford Murray Grey Red Whiteface Whiteface

Whiteface Angus x Friesian Friesian x Red Whiteface Whiteface Angus x Belted Galloway Red Whiteface Whiteface

110-170

4.917-3.529

480-505 2.958-3.128 563 3.015 552 3.076

2YR BULLS

YEARLING BULLS

400 2.775 260-390 2.269-2.435

398 2.962 392-413 2.879-2.903

192 2.815 170-250 2.352-1.920 261 3.352 247 3.090 142-209 3.925-3.534 146-276 4.526-3.289

460-473 2.826-2.809

325-387 2.707-2.812 330 2.666 354 2.08 338-356 2.674-2.607 285-355 3.080-2.450 176-266 3.537-2.969 160 2.375

217 2.896 137-276 1.204-2.819

$545-600

3YR STEERS

$1420-1580 $1700 $1700

2YR STEERS

$1110 $590-950

$1180 $1130-1200

$542 $400-480 $875 $765 $560-740 $665-910

3YR HEIFERS

$1300-1330

2YR HEIFERS

$880-1090 $880 $740 $905-930 $880-870

$625-790 $380 $630 $165-780