Media release, 5 September 2014

National conference walking the talk on Maori business development

This year's Federation of Maori Authorities National Conference includes a number of speakers with first hand knowledge of the realities of their industry. Maori farming success and industry safety are key agenda items at the conference which will be held in Whanganui from 26 – 28 September.

Taranaki Maori Trust, Te Rua o te Moko Ltd will be stepping up to share their story about reconnecting with their land, their people and eventually building a multi-million dollar dairy farming operation. The top Hawera based operation was presented with the highly prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Excellence in Farming Award for Dairy and $40,000 worth of sponsored prizes at the annual awards ceremony held in Tauranga this year.

“Te Rua o te Moko Ltd are really leading by example. They have worked hard to reconnect their people and the land, including 49 ha that was returned through the Treaty settlement process,” says Federation Chief Executive Te Horipo Karaitiana. “Not only are they running a successful dairy operation, but last year they also celebrated with the first graduates from their dairy training programme who are all now working in the industry.”

The three day conference, which will be held at the Whanganui Hall and Conference Centre, will include presentations from a number of speakers who have first hand experience of the highs and lows of their industry. Forestry Industry Representative Wiremu Edmonds is a fourth-generation bushman whose son was tragically killed in a forestry accident last year. Mr Edmonds is now involved in developing a new ACC health and safety programme and will be speaking on industry safety at the conference.

The Federation of Maori Authorities has member organisations from 11 regions through-out the country and represents businesses involved in a range of industries including forestry, dairy, horticulture, property, agriculture, fishing and energy. The Federation has 150 member organisations with a collective asset base worth around 8 million dollars. The conference welcomes anyone with an interest in Maori economic development.

FOMA are proud to be joined by Gold sponsors Silver Fern Farms, Beef + Lamb NZ, Dairy NZ, and Primary ITO to bring you this conference. FOMA is also supported by Ballance Agri Nutrients, Price Waterhouse Coopers, PGG Wrightson’s and Te Puni Kokiri as Silver sponsors. Our Bronze sponsors for this year are Fonterra, Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, LIC, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and Land Information New Zealand. FOMA appreciates the support from partners Chorus, Zespri, Tohu Wines, Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd and Farmlands.

The full conference programme and registration information is available at http://federation.conference.maori.nz/index.htm. Registrations close at 5pm Friday 19 September.

ENDS

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