Having served four years on the board she believes the time is right to move on.
When she joined the board in 2015 her vision was to support dairy women to better reach their potential and to help the network become an organisation to drive transformational change in the dairy industry.
“I feel I have had a big input into both of these areas,” Brown said.
She has been awarded a Nuffield Scholarship for 2020, which will involve significant international travel over the next year.
As a network member since 2000 Brown has been leading environmental change through her roles as chairwoman of the DairyNZ Dairy Environment Leaders Programme and the Ballance Farm Environment Awards alumni and also as a farmer representative on the Dairy Environment Leadership Group overseeing the Water Accord.
An Agri-Women’s Development Trust Escalator alumnus and winner of the Sustainability Superstar in the 2018 Sustainable Business Network Awards, Brown was also a finalist in the 2017 Westpac Women of Influence Awards.
A former economist at the Meat and Wool Board’s economic service she was also involved with setting the future direction for dairy as farmer representative on the Dairy Tomorrow Working Group.
Brown was elected to the DairyNZ board last year and most recently was appointed by Cabinet to the Essential Freshwater Independent Advisory Panel to advise the Government on the proposed National Policy Statement, National Environment Statement and proposed stock exclusion regulations.
Her and husband Wynn’s 700-cow, 310ha farm Tiroroa won the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Supreme Award in 2010 and the Fonterra Farm Source Responsible Dairying Award in 2018.
Network board chairwoman Karen Forlong, who arrived at the board table at the same time as Brown, said she clearly remembers her hitting the ground running with a wealth of knowledge that enabled her to contribute valuably from the onset.
“Her industry roles, especially within the environmental space, have given her insights that she shared with the board, adding depth and understanding around the changes, challenges and opportunities confronting the dairy industry and the people who passionately go about the daily business of producing food.
“DWN will still be her tribe and I am sure we will all no doubt see much more of Tracy in the future,” Forlong said.
Brown believes strongly in the work the network does and the role it plays in the industry.
Ten years ago she started a journey where she wanted to help improve the public perception of dairy, improve environmental practice and generally help make dairy great.
“I want to leave the ladder down to help other women into leadership and governance roles within dairy and would very much like to stay involved with the DWN.
“I would love to see more farmers empowered to lead positive change within their communities and pride restored so that dairy is recognised as the national and world champion that it is,” Brown said.
