Wide skills base in dairy woman award
Dairy farmers, a veterinarian and a Rural Support chairperson are in contention for this year’s Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Award.
The Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) named Myfanwy Alexander, Amber Carpenter, Katrina Roberts and Michelle Ruddell as finalists last week.
The award recognises women who have contributed to the dairy sector and the winner will receive a scholarship to join the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.
DWN trustee Donna Smit said the network received a large number of high calibre entries this year.
“It is nice to see a good spread of capable grassroots farmers, inspiring leaders and rural professionals who have contributed so much to the industry being nominated. A lot of the entrants have multiple skills across community, environmental, professional and commercial,” she said.
“Based on this wide variety of skills, the dairy industry is in good heart for the future.”
Originally from Wales, Myfanwy Alexander fell in love with New Zealand during an internship on a dairy farm 18 years ago.
She’s been contract milking in the Waitaki Valley for the past decade and is the regional leader for the Dairy Women’s Network and Federated Farmers. Alexander also sits on the South Island Dairy Event governance group.
While she may be from Bucklands Beach in Auckland, Amber Carpenter now calls a Paparimu dairy farm home. She is chairperson of DairyNZ’s Dairy Environment Leaders, an ambassador for FarmStrong, has held leadership roles within the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, completed the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme, is working on a Diploma in Agribusiness and is in the Agri Women’s Development Trust Escalator programme.
Katrina Roberts is a herd health veterinarian and farm consultant, helping Waikato farmers improve their farms, businesses and achieve their goals.
She’s a mentor of Young Vets and active with DairyNZ as an InCalf Trainer and member of several steering groups.
For the past 20 years, she’s volunteered with Cambridge Riding for the Disabled and is a member of the Walton School Board of Trustees and Matamata Pony Club, and involved in netball coaching.
Michelle Ruddell, of Ngati Tūwharetoa, runs a large-scale dairy farm near Whangarei and chairs the Northland Rural Support Trust.
She has been instrumental in the Northland dairy sector’s recovery after Cyclone Gabrielle, providing hands-on support for those affected, fronting media interviews, and facilitating responses between various agencies.
The award judges include representatives from Dairy Women’s Network, Fonterra, Rural Leaders, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and a previous Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year recipient.
The Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year will be announced at a gala dinner as part of the DWN annual conference in New Plymouth on May 2.