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Comings and Goings
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Dairy Women’s Network gets new chair

Cathy Brown steps down from her role after three years.

Mon, 04 Nov 2019

Living the empowerment values of the Dairy Women’s Network has seen Cathy Brown step down from her role as chair to allow North Island farmer Karen Forlong to have the same opportunities to grow. 

Dairy Women’s Network chief executive Jules Benton said she was looking forward to working more closely with Forlong as “she’s just so passionate about dairy, and in particular women’s role in dairy.”  

At last week’s AGM Benton paid tribute to the Brown, who has been chair for three years, saying her commitment and support has been invaluable, thanking her for all her efforts and guidance.

Farming near Atiamuri, Forlong has been a member since the network was formed in 2000, having experienced various roles that include conference committee involvement in 2005 and 2012 then becoming conference chair in 2014, participation in the Agri-Women’s Development Trust Escalator Program, a leadership and governance programme for women involved in primary industries and rural communities and is chair of Vetora BoP, a incorporated society vet club with a 75-year history in the Rotorua region.   

Forlong said women in dairy can find their sense of belonging and tribe at Dairy Women’s Network. 

“Dairy Women’s Network realises life is not a series of silos but is the complexity of many things coming into balance – family, people, the team, the community, animals, environment and financial wellbeing – that are all are reliant on each other.

“Connection is the cornerstone of a strong culture and our rural communities and Dairy Women’s Network is a connector as it delivers through face-to-face connections and through technology and online engagement.” 

The industry needed “an engaged, full-noise voice,” she said.  “One that is consolidated, unified, loud and proud.  We as a network need to be part of the collaborative approach for our future and as women we are intrinsically wired to function in this state, so we have a responsibility to use this skill and drive it, unrelentingly.” 

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Dairy Women’s Network gets new chair
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