Business Rural Autumn 2021

| 19 farming portfolio MEAT & WOOL » Avenel Agriculture/Andrew Morrison Photos: Weather extremes at Avenel Station. Resilient rural sector vital for NZ economy Kim Newth H eading Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Board of Directors is Southland farmer Andrew Mor- rison, who has been reflecting a lot recently on what he finds inspiring about farming and this country’s rural communities. He’s not interested in listing off all the various leadership roles he holds – and there are many, including directorships with Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium,and chairing the New Zealand Meat Board – preferring to acknowledge instead the significant contribution “I always love coming home to the farm, even if it means I’m getting tired and grumpy because it’s a wet week and conditions are difficult. That’s the stuff that grounds you and keeps your decisions real.” A wintry scene at the Southland farm of Beef + Lamb NZ Chairman Andrew Morrison. being made by rural New Zealanders. Connecting with farming life remains hugely important to him. Farming and the rural sector is at the core of what drives him. “I always love coming home to the farm, even if it means I’m getting tired and grumpy because it’s a wet week and conditions are difficult. That’s the stuff that grounds you and keeps your decisions real.” Farming has been in Andrew’s family for five generations. His elder brother farms the Southland property where he grew up and where his parents, • to page 20 Livestock Cartage Computerised Lime Super & Seed Sowing Ready Mix Concrete Gravel, Sand & Cement Supplies General Cartage Ranfurly Transport Phone: 021 542 714 Profile your farm with Business Rural SOUTHERN VEGETATION CONTROL LIMITED Registered Chemical Applicator Call us for all your boom spraying requirements 2 Dungannon Street, Waikaka, 9743 Bretton Taylor 027 471 3705