Tim Rutherford

Tim says DairyNZ’s Policy team genuinely wants to get it right for farmers by working behind the scenes so rule-makers understand farmers’ challenges, and the impact regulations can have.

“Our team’s not always visible, but we’re there every day, pushing for fair and practical outcomes that help farmers keep moving forward,” says Tim.

“Farmers have a tough job, and it’s only getting more complex. They’re juggling environmental expectations, and business and social pressures, while producing food and caring for their land. Providing them with solid support through logical and practical policies supports them to do what they do best.”

Tim views his role as ensuring that farmers’ voices are heard in the right places.

“I spend a lot of time unpacking new policies, figuring out what they mean in practice, and working with others to shape responses that make sense for the sector. It’s about making sure the people writing the rules understand what happens on the ground, and helping farmers understand what’s coming and why.”

Much of Tim’s work is behind the scenes – reading through policy documents, writing submissions, meeting with officials, and consulting with DairyNZ’s technical experts as well as farmers themselves, to gather perspectives.

“One thing I didn’t expect was how often good conversations with farmers - or people on the ground generally - can change how our team approaches an issue. You might have all the technical or legal info, but then someone tells you how it actually plays out on-farm, and that can shift your thinking. Those moments are gold and help us represent farmers' views at the policy table.”

Tim says that working together with farmers and other stakeholders helps the Policy team factor real experiences and practical ideas into their policy work.

“That means farmers are part of shaping the conversation, not just reacting to decisions after they’re made, and our team’s more likely to land solutions that actually work on-farm. If a policy’s adjusted because we showed how it would affect farmers, or a farmer says, ‘thanks, that helped’ – it’s really rewarding.”

• Find out more about DairyNZ's other policy team members.
• Learn more about DairyNZ's policy, advocacy and regulation work on behalf of farmers.