Dairy Women's Network Trustee Tracy Brown steps down

Waikato dairy farmer Tracy Brown. Photo / Dairy Women's Network

Waikato dairy farmer Tracy Brown has stepped down from her role as a Trustee of the Dairy Women's Network.

Brown, who farms with her husband Wynn at Tiroroa Farms near Matamata, said the time was right to move on after over four years on the Trust Board.

"I joined in November 2015 with a vision to provide support to women in the dairy industry to better reach their potential and to help Dairy Women's Network become an organisation which could help drive transformational change for our industry," Brown said.

"I feel I have had a big input into both of these areas."

Brown was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship for 2020 which will involve significant international travel over the next 12 months.

A Dairy Women's Network member since 2000, Brown has been leading environmental change for dairy through her roles as Chair of the DairyNZ Dairy Environment Leaders Programme, Chair of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards Alumni, and as farmer representative on the Dairy Environment Leadership Group (DELG) which oversees the Water Accord.

She was also elected to the DairyNZ board in late October last year.

An Agri-Women's Development Trust "Escalator" Alumni and winner of the "Sustainability Superstar" in the 2018 Sustainable Business Network Awards, Brown was also a finalist in the 2017 Westpac Women of Influence Awards.

A former economist at the NZ Meat and Wool Boards Economic Service (now Beef + Lamb New Zealand) she was also involved with setting the future direction for dairy as a farmer rep on the "Dairy Tomorrow" Working Group.

Most recently Brown was appointed by Cabinet to the Essential Freshwater Independent Advisory Panel to advise the Government on the proposed NPS, NES and proposed stock exclusion regulations.

The Brown's 700 cow, 310ha (240ha milking platform) system three farm "Tiroroa" won the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Supreme Award in 2010 and the Fonterra Farm Source Responsible Dairying Award in 2018.

Dairy Women's Network Trust Board Chair Karen Forlong said Brown had a wealth of knowledge that enabled her to contribute from the onset "adding depth and understanding around the changes, challenges and opportunities confronting the dairy industry."

"The Board wish her well on her new journey with DairyNZ and as a Nuffield scholar. DWN will still be her tribe and I am sure we will all no doubt see much more of Tracy in the future."

Brown's departure opens up an opportunity for two positions around the DWN Board table said Forlong.

Applications for the vacant Trust Board position opened today. Find out more information here.