Katie Milne is Dairy Woman of the year!

Katie Milne is Dairy Woman of the year!

Federated Farmers President, Dr William Rolleston, says he’s thrilled by Katie Milne winning the 2015 Dairy Woman of the Year Award.

“I’m not surprised Katie won, as she has been a passionate advocate for farmers for a long time and has made some real progress for all of us at both a provincial and national level.”

“Katie has been involved with Federated Farmers since 1991, when as a 23 year old she went along to a provincial meeting with some concerns about the RMA’s impact on her ability to farm. Since then she has moved up the executive ranks, now in her third year as a Federated Farmers Board Member and in her sixth year as the Federation’s West Coast provincial president.”

“Katie wears many hats, sitting on the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), advising the Minister for Primary Industries, Chair of the West Coast TB Free Committee, she is in the Farmer Mental Wellness Strategy Group, partnering with stakeholders on improving farmer wellbeing, and has been instrumental in getting various environmental projects off the ground in the Lake Brunner area.”

“Her can do attitude, and ability to break down barriers by communicating at all levels, makes her incredibly influential in the agri political space. She is a practical, no nonsense farmer with a bright outlook on life and this resonates through her advocacy with the Federation.”

Katie Milne said she is incredibly humbled by the award.

“To be in the same category as PGG Wrightson Animal Nutritionist, Andrea Murphy, Dairy Director, Wilma van Leeuwen, and Demonstration Farm Director, Elaine Cook is a real honour and I’m absolutely chuffed to receive the award.”

“More and more woman are entering the dairy industry and it is important we have representation at a national and provincial level. I am passionate about having my feet on the ground on the West Coast and connecting the provinces with the national decision makers.”

Katie receives a $25,000 Fonterra scholarship to the Global Women ‘Women in Leadership’ programme, which runs for 12 months.

“This programme will really broaden my horizons exposing me to globally focused woman in leadership roles. It will give me a whole other skill set that will help me continue to strive to keep the social license to farm, alive and viable.”

“I’d like to thank Fonterra for the sponsorship to do the programme, it is a great opportunity and the Dairy Woman’s Network for coming into existence, it is a great platform for women in dairy to learn and grow among their peers. I'd like to thanks the other nominees who are a fabulous bunch of ladies and are equally deserving of the award, as well as the people who nominated me, Ann Thompson and Renee Rooney. Federated Farmers ought to be mentioned as they have been a big part of how I got to this point, and my family for supporting me in all the things I do, especially Ian who is going to have to put up with me being away more than I already am.

“Whether you are male or female, we all have farming in common and my goal is to make that as easy as possible for all of us. Farming needs to be sustainable if we are to have a bright future.” She concluded.

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