New face on DairyNZ board

2009-10-27
Te Awamutu dairy farmer Kevin Ferris has been elected to the board of DairyNZ. He joins sitting directors Alistair Body and Barbara Kuriger after farmer elections in which there were 14 contenders for three places.

Ferris also owns a farm in Southland and is a Fonterra Shareholders' Council (FSC) member. He was critical of industry structures before Dexcel and Dairy InSight joined to form DairyNZ.

DairyNZ chairman John Luxton welcomed him to the board, saying he would have "very big boots to fill" in taking the seat vacated by Jim van der Poel. But he would create a useful linkage with the FSC and be able to represent the interests of farmers in Waikato and Southland.

Luxton thanked van der Poel, who is also a Fonterra director. He was chairman of Dexcel, and had been a DairyNZ director since its inception in November 2007.