Women of Influence Nominations - Dairy Women's Future Bright

Future of dairy women bright in Women of Influence nominations

17 July 2017 - Two women described as “humble and leading from the heart” are among the nominees for this year’s Women of Influence awards.

Dairy Women’s Network trustees Pamela Storey and Tracy Brown have been nominated for the Women of Influence award in the rural category.

Ms Storey is an electrical engineer ‘by trade’ and has extensive governance experience across a variety of local and international organisations, including the Energy Management Association of New Zealand, the Waikato Environmental Centre, the Council for Women in Energy and Environmental Leadership, and most recently Primary ITO.

Ms Brown, a past economist, chairs the Dairy Environment Leaders Programme and the Ballance Farm Environment Awards Alumni. She is on the working group for the dairy industry’s strategy refresh and the Dairy Environment Leadership Group which oversees the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord initiative.

Dairy Women’s Network chair Cathy Brown says the network is proud to see both women nominated and says they’re outstanding ambassadors for dairy women in New Zealand. “Pamela and Tracy are both humble, lead from the heart, and have a ‘roll up their sleeves’ attitude,” she says.

“They give a huge amount of their time to the rural sector and are both doing amazing things in the field of environmental sustainability.

“I very much see these nominations as wider recognition of the hard work dairy women put in to the industry, work that is so often behind the scenes and not immediately recognisable.”

Ms Storey said she was excited and honoured to be nominated. “It’s empowering to see dairy women being profiled at this level,” she says.

Ms Brown said she too was honoured, and humbled to be in the presence of so many inspiring women creating positive change in New Zealand.

“To me it's an opportunity to showcase to an urban audience the meaningful work, most of it voluntary, that women in the rural sector do so well.”

Ms Storey owns and operates a 500 cow farm in Te Hoe, in North Waikato, with her husband. She is involved in the strategic management of their operation, with a particular focus on breeding high BW (breeding worth) animals and developing a flexible approach to farming systems to allow for an appropriate response to a changing economic climate.

Ms Brown owns a 700 cow farm, named Tiroroa (‘view to the future’) near Matamata with her husband. The Brown family won the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment award in 2010.

Dairy Women’s Network chair Cathy Brown says current members of Dairy Women’s Network have much more involvement in farm management and business operations than they did when she joined the organisation in 2009.

“In 2009 Dairy Women’s Network had around 2500 members, now it’s closer to 10,000,” she says. “More and more we’re catering our development opportunities to dairy women who are getting involved in the business side of farming.

“The Network’s core driver is to give women working in the dairy industry unlimited opportunities. As the business of dairy becomes increasingly complex, our members are gaining valuable education and insights in how to operate a farming business in today’s economic, environmental and compliance-driven climate.”

The Westpac Women of Influence Awards will be announced on 7 September at an awards dinner at SkyCity in Auckland. The awards celebrate women who have built on their personal and professional successes to help and inspire others.

ENDS

About Dairy Women’s Network
Dairy Women’s Network was established in 1998 by several of New Zealand’s leading dairying women to develop and educate women to add value to the business of dairying. Members have access to professional and in-person support through a mix of face-to-face events and web-based contact, which includes dairy modules, regional meetings, internet forums and the annual conference.

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