First female arable chair joins Feds national board
Source: Federated Farmers
--
Federated Farmers has a new board member as a result of elections held during last week’s national conference in
Wellington.
Karen Williams, who was elected arable chairperson at that industry group’s annual meeting in Timaru in June, was
elected to the national board by delegates from Federated Farmers’ 24 provinces. She replaces Guy Wigley, who stepped
down after three years as arable leader.
Meanwhile, the efforts and expertise of Federated Farmers Auckland President Andrew Maclean, who was co-opted onto the
national board late last year, was also rewarded by provincial delegates. His continued role on the board was confirmed
by the elections last week.
Re-elected members are: Katie Milne (President), Andrew Hoggard (vice-president), Chris Lewis (dairy chairperson), Miles
Anderson (meat and wool chairperson) and Chris Allen (Environment, Water and Pest Management spokesperson).
Karen Williams, who with her husband Mick and three children farms a 224ha mixed cropping and beef and lamb finishing
property at Gladstone in the Wairarapa, is the first woman to lead the Federation’s arable sector.
A former planner with Greater Wellington Regional Council, Karen runs her own consultancy business specialising in
resource management, facilitation, engagement and speaking on agri-environmental issues. She says her roles are premised
by her desire to "help farmers and the agri-sector to better engage with local, regional and central government to
ensure they are more environmentally and economically sustainable".
She and Mick are past Wellington Region Supreme Winners in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. They’ve been Federated
Farmers members for many years but Karen says it was her appointment in 2016 as arable representative on the Ministry
for Primary Industries (MPI) Governance Group for the response to the Wairarapa pea weevil incursion "that revved up my
exposure to Feds and biosecurity issues".
She played a key role in securing government funding to develop a future focused cropping strategy for the Wairarapa,
and worked to secure the initial and on-going ex gratia payments for growers impacted by the extended regional growing
ban. Her efforts and determination saw her named winner of the inaugural Federated Farmers Arable Industry Group
‘Biosecurity Farmer of the Year’ award in 2017.
Despite an annual contribution of at least $750 million to GDP, New Zealand’s arable sector tends to fly under the radar
for many people. Karen wants to see that change.
"I’d like to increase our presence in Wellington, talking to government and reminding them we are an important sector
with a lot to offer," she says.
ENDS