DairyNZ’s board consists of five farmer-elected directors and three board-appointed directors. Glass and van der Poel are retiring by rotation and seeking the two board seats, as is a third candidate, Colin Groves.

Glass is a 19-year chief executive of Dairy Holdings Ltd (DHL), one of the country’s largest dairy landowners and suppliers, with extensive operations in the South Island.

He and his wife Paula, parents of two teenage girls, own a 670-cow dairy farm and two other irrigated properties rearing and finishing bull beef at Methven, Mid-Canterbury.

Glass has been chair of Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Limited for the past four years, and serves a number of other farming and community organisations.

“I’ve been actively involved in various DairyNZ board roles as well as maintaining a strong presence at wider industry events for both DHL and our family business,” he says.

“This enables me to remain close to the issues we all face as dairy farmers.”

Van der Poel is the current DairyNZ chair and enters the ballot with a wealth of industry experience, including 12 years as a Fonterra director from 2002-2014.

“My commitment is to continue in my role in DairyNZ and work in the best interests of farmers to help ensure regulations meet those objectives, and to also ensure farmers are supported in incorporating those targets into their future farming systems, whilst maintaining the viability of their farming operations,” he says.

The lesser-known Groves is a former associate director of DairyNZ (2018) in a farm equity partnership in Mid-Canterbury. His current industry roles include board observer on Mid-Canterbury’s Mayfield Hinds Irrigation Ltd and chair of the National Mastitis Advisory Committee. He chaired Young Farmers from 2013-15, during six years as a director.

Groves says having been an Associate Director of DairyNZ, he had a true understanding of what was required of a DairyNZ director. He was confident of being able to contribute at a governance level, while bringing his own grassroots experience.

He says DairyNZ should focus on greater value and transparency of the farmer levy investment and to “cement and maintain stronger relationships with levy payers to increase the trust that DairyNZ will deliver on behalf of the industry going forward.”

Farmers have until October 20 to cast their votes and the three candidates will learn their fate at DairyNZ’s annual general meeting in Ashburton on October 21.

For information on the director candidates and voting, visit dairynz.co.nz/agm