Federated Farmers secures Liz McGruddy for water team

15 December 2010

Federated Farmers secures Liz McGruddy for water team

Federated Farmers has boosted the capability of its water policy team with the appointment of Elizabeth McGruddy as a Senior Policy Advisor.

“Water is one of our top critical policy priorities, as it’s a key advantage that underpins our economy and Federated Farmers is looking to capitalise on the intellectual grunt we bring to this space,” says Conor English, Federated Farmers Chief Executive.

“It’s why we’re extremely pleased that Liz McGruddy has joined us from the New Zealand Pork Industry Board where, for the past four years, she has been an Environment Officer.

“Right now every aspect of water is at play – water ownership, allocation, management, quality and storage In addition, we have changing institutional frameworks with the new Environmental Protection Agency, a new single Auckland council and co-governance arrangements for the Waikato River.

“The changes taking place over the next couple of years will impact what happens over the next fifty, so we need to get it right. It matters to all New Zealanders that we do.

“As an organisation we have no less than three PhD level staff involved in water policy. In fact, all of our 25 policy staff have been heavily involved in water issues and in 2009, we did about 100 submissions in 100 days, many involving water issues.

“Liz joins us as a time when we’ve been heavily involved in the Land and Water Forum, Canterbury water policy processes and talking with various Ministers and policy officials.

“Federated Farmers is wired into the policy and political process to develop proactive workable solutions, balancing environmental considerations with economic development.

“Educated at Victoria University of Wellington, Liz McGruddy holds both a BA and an MBA. It speaks volumes she has chosen to join Federated Farmers.

“Liz knows farming well, having grown up on a hill country sheep farm south of Eketahuna. She has also been a past Executive Officer for Rural Women New Zealand and for 10 years, was the Department of Conservation’s Field Centre Manager at the Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre.

“Liz brings a strong commercial ethos having been involved in the commercialisation of native plants and plant extracts including totarol - a bioactive extract from totara.

“She has also explored the feasibility of biogas generation from pig manure and has led a Sustainable Farming Fund project to assess opportunities for New Zealand flax. This includes working with a farmer on a prototype flax plantation in the Wairarapa.

“Liz has been in the forefront of women in farming, having worked with AgResearch and Lincoln University to establish a national network of Women’s Farm Discussion Groups.

“What we have in Liz McGruddy, is a senior policy staff member to join our experienced policy team, who look for win-wins working in the space between farming and the environment,” Mr English concluded.

ENDS

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