Two farmers elected to DairyNZ board

Jim van der Poel (left) and Colin Glass. Photo / Supplied

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Two dairy farmers, Jim van der Poel and Colin Glass, were re-elected onto DairyNZ's board at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ashburton this week.

Van der Poel and Glass have been elected to the DairyNZ board for the next three years.

They will be two of five farmer-elected directors and three board-appointed directors who contribute to DairyNZ's strategy and priorities on behalf of dairy farmers.

This year's AGM focused on DairyNZ's highlights and key activities during the 2019/20 dairy season – which included the investment of dairy farmer levy funds.

Van der Poel, who is also DairyNZ chairman, reflected on the previous year, including DairyNZ's achievements and the complex environment farmers are working in.

Listen to Lee Piper interview Jim van der Poel on The Country Sport Breakfast below:

"It has been a busy and challenging year for the sector, with Covid-19 an unexpected event which affected many Kiwis. This also provided the opportunity to highlight the value and importance of our sector to New Zealand's future," Van der Poel said.

"Last year we made good progress towards Mycoplasma Bovis eradication and in a world-leading emissions programme, He Waka Eke Noa, to collectively build a farm-level emission reduction framework. DairyNZ also advocated for pragmatic essential freshwater rules for farmers."

At Wednesday's meeting, results of several AGM resolutions were also announced.

These included the ratification of board-appointed directors Peter Schuyt and Mary-Anne Macleod, and a resolution on director remuneration.

Macleod replaced Dr Helen Anderson, who was stepping down from the DairyNZ board after 10 years.

Two new directors for DairyNZ

Jim van der Poel

Van der Poel is a dairy farmer and, with his wife Sue, has farming interests in Waikato, Southland, Canterbury and in the United States.

He has a long association with DairyNZ, including being a farmer-elected director and chair of DairyNZ's board.

Van der Poel has been on the Fonterra board, and was an inaugural director on the Fonterra Shareholders Fund, as well as serving on the board of New Zealand Cooperative Dairies. He has also received numerous industry awards including Sharemilker of the Year, Dairy Exporter Primary Performer Award and a Nuffield Scholarship.

Colin Glass

Glass and his wife Paula, with their two teenage daughters, own a 670-cow dairy farm, and two further irrigated properties rearing and finishing bull beef at Methven, Mid-Canterbury.

Glass is the chief executive of Dairy Holdings Limited which has extensive operations throughout the South Island.

He is a director of several agri-business companies and is currently chairman of Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Limited.