Newly appointed Deer Industry New Zealand director Paddy Boyd wants to ensure the farmer’s voice is heard around the board table.
The well-respected deer farmer from Haldon Station in South Canterbury was selected as the new deer farmers’ voice by the NZ Deer Farmers Association (NZDFA) selection and appointment panel to join the board as a new producer representative.
Boyd said he is looking forward to bringing another strong farmer’s voice to the Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) board table.
“I am very excited and grateful of the opportunity given to me to work for an industry I love,” Boyd said.
“The DINZ board is well balanced and we need unity and clarity,” he told a recent NZDFA meeting in Ashburton.
“My No 1 goal is to ensure the producer continues to be well represented and informed by aligning ourselves with those empowered to market our product away from commodity foods into more high-value niche markets.”
Boyd and his wife Barbara have managed Haldon Station in the Mackenzie Basin for the past 41 years. They have been involved in the sector from the early capture days through to the impressive venison-velvet enterprise they run today.
Boyd has represented deer farmers in the Passion2Profit advisory group since its inception, on the selection panel, the National Velvet Standards Body and the OSPRI Stakeholders Council.
Last year, he was awarded NZDFA life membership in recognition of his contribution and knowledge (see “Honoured for building up a new industry”, December 19 2022).
Boyd’s three-year term will start on July 1 with his first meeting on July 13 when he will join the table with three other producer members – Hamish Fraser, Jacqueline Rowarth and Mandy Bell; three venison processor representatives – Gerard Hickey, Dave Courtney and the recently re-elected Nigel Jones; and re-elected velvet processor representative Tony Cochrane.
Boyd replaces Kris Orange, who steps down at the end of his term on June 30.
Boyd won the board position in a four-way race ahead of Mid Canterbury deer farmer Mike Salvesen, Hororata deer farmer Corey Busch and Manawatū farm consultant and operations manager Matthew Carroll.
