North Otago farmer Jane Smith elected to Ravensdown board

New Ravensdown board member, North Otago farmer Jane Smith, has considerable governance experience and is also a regular contributor to The Country radio show.

Ravensdown South Island shareholders have voted Jane Smith to the co-operative board for a three-year term.

Smith is a North Otago farmer and former Ballance Farm Environment Award winner.

She runs Newhaven Farms, a 9500-stock-unit sheep and beef farm, which includes stud sheep and stud beef operations supplying genetics around New Zealand and abroad.

Her governance experience includes six years as an independent director on the Red Meat Profit Partnership (a $64 million programme between agribusiness and government partners focused on driving long-term profits for New Zealand’s red meat sector) and a term as a Crown-appointed layperson on the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (the statutory board responsible for regulating the profession).

Smith is also a regular contributor to The Country radio show, where her forthright opinions have been popular with listeners.

“It’s a co-operative that I’m passionate about,” she told The Country’s Jamie Mackay.

Smith said she was aware of the challenges and opportunities ahead.

“I’m open-minded about what the sector looks like, and I’m just pleased to serve my sector.”

Smith also worked for Ravensdown in the past and was ready to put her experience to good use.

“I guess I’ve got a degree of institutional knowledge, in terms of how the sector works,” she said.

“I’m really passionate about the fight that farmers had back in the 1970s to develop Ravensdown and really want it to go from strength to strength.”

Listen below:

Ravensdown board elections

Bruce Wills, Ravensdown chairman, said this year’s election had generated a lot of interest among shareholders, with over 25% of the co-operative’s South Island transacting shareholders voting, representing nearly 39% of the shares held by that group.

Smith defeated sitting South Island director Nicky Hyslop and Rebecca Keoghan in a three-way contest.

Wills said Smith was a good fit for the co-operative.

“With her passion for Ravensdown and knowledge of the wider primary sector, voting shareholders have recognised Jane’s alignment to the co-operative ethos – a core governance attribute.”

Wills also thanked Hyslop for her service and commitment to the board.

“I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Nicky Hyslop, who has served on the board for the last six years.

“Her commitment to the co-operative and contribution to the governance of Ravensdown has been highly valued by me and the wider board.”

He also thanked Rebecca Keoghan for her participation in this year’s South Island Director Area election round.

“Throughout the election period, it was heartening to witness each candidate’s genuine interest in the performance and direction of Ravensdown.”

Meanwhile, Jacqueline Rowarth, another regular on The Country, was the only candidate nominated for the North Island Director Area.

As a result, there was no election for the North Island, and Rowarth remained a director for a further three-year term.

Smith will take up office after Ravensdown’s 2025 annual meeting on Thursday.