Wills New Meat & Fibre Chairman

Hawke’s Bay sheep and beef farmer Bruce Wills is the new Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairman.

Mr Wills was elected by the Meat & Fibre’s council at its annual general meeting in Christchurch today.

The 47-year-old is also currently the vice-president of Hawke’s Bay Federated Farmers. Mr Wills, with family, farms 10,000 stock-units on hill country north of Napier.

He returned to farming only four years ago after having spent 20 years in banking and investment. He has a Bachelor of Commerce (Ag) from Lincoln University and is a qualified registered valuer and is also a registered farm management consultant.

“I don’t pretend to have huge experience in farm politics but what I do have is a new approach to farming from a commercial and analytical background.

“This industry, like no other, desperately needs to change to survive. It needs new people, it needs new thinking, and it needs these things now.

“It is time this industry body began to punch above its weight again. I am committed to making sure meat and fibre farmers have a strong and influential voice and the focus is on achieving real and positive outcomes for meat and fibre producers,” he said.

Mr Wills replaces Keith Kelly, an Auckland sheep and beef farmer.

Jeanette Maxwell, a sheep and beef farmer from Mt Hutt is the new vice-chairwoman of the Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre Section.