Governance updates and corporate events

DairyNZ’s Annual Meeting 2025 outcomes

Farmers toured DairyNZ’s purpose-built Waikato research farms on 6 November, gaining insights into current on-farm studies and innovations. This included individual animal intake units and methane emissions to extended lactation trials and other innovative farm system research.

Our Annual Meeting followed, held at Zenders Café in Hamilton, which was well attended and sparked valuable discussions.

Below is a summary of the key outcomes from the AGM, with all resolutions approved:

• Mark Todd was officially ratified as an Independent Director for another term on the Board.
• There was approval of the remuneration of the Directors of DairyNZ inc, following the Director’s Remuneration Committee recommendations.
• We shared key themes and information from the Biosecurity Response Levy, with further details outlined below.

Tracy Brown and Chris Lewis were also formally acknowledged as being re-elected unopposed as DairyNZ Inc Directors, while Shirley Trumper and Ellen Bartlett were acknowledged for being re-elected unopposed as Directors’ Remuneration Committee members.

Biosecurity Response Levy consultation

DairyNZ consulted with levy payers on the Biosecurity (Response - Milksolids Levy) Order 2019, known as the “Biosecurity Response Levy” from early October to early November 2025.

The Biosecurity Response Levy is collected by DairyNZ and was established to fund biosecurity responses and paid for the dairy sector’s share of the M. bovis programme until the end of 2024.

We were seeking farmer views on broadening the scope of what the Biosecurity Response Levy can be spent on to include other biosecurity readiness activities to help make better use of the investment farmers have already made.

The consultation received good engagement from levy payers, with ~20% of total Milksolids represented and the majority of respondents supporting the proposed changes. We are continuing to review and consider feedback received through written responses, with the feedback we have received predominantly on:

• Needing to have a clear focus on transparency of spending.
• The importance of having the levy in place and retaining some funds for a response, and -
• Acknowledging the benefits of being able to use it for readiness.

As the process of preparing an application to the Minister for Biosecurity to amend the levy order progresses, with will share more details, insights and next steps.

Video of Annual Meeting

For those unable to attend, a recording of the event will be made available here soon.