Rowarth was successful from seven strong candidates for the one vacant farmer-director position that resulted from the death of Michael Spaans.
It was clear from her campaign comments that Rowarth intends to use the new position to continue speaking out on behalf of farmers and science in the licence to farm areas of public controversy.
“New Zealanders are hearing more messages from activists than scientists and farmers,” she said.
“The activist messages need counteracting immediately and the facts, evidence and data presented in ways that people can understand and accept.
“Society is being fed a rosy picture of life without agriculture and does not realise what NZ would be like, both environmentally and economically, without dairy farmers.
“The alternative truths should have been dispelled already – action is required urgently.”
Rowarth sees her number one role on the DairyNZ board as helping farmers achieve sustainability by bringing knowledge of agricultural and environmental science to the debate.
The soil scientist, former agribusiness professor and former chief scientist for the Environmental Protection Agency said her areas of expertise concern nitrogen, phosphorus and the carbon cycle.
DairyNZ has also confirmed the appointment of Jo Coughlan as an independent director, replacing Barry Harris.
Coughlan lives in Wellington, has 20 years experience in public and government relations and is a former city councillor who came from a farming background and is married to former Federated Farmers chief executive Connor English.
Chairman Jim van der Poel told the annual meeting in Invercargill great progress is being made in developing dairy farming systems for the future.
“We are committed to farming within environmental limits and maximising value from our pasture-based farming systems.
“By continuing to improve our sustainability we are safeguarding the dairy sector’s future.”
Van der Poel said the Dairy Tomorrow strategy launched in 2017 is now central to the sector’s future progress.
“It has six commitments which encompass the environment, resilient businesses, producing high-quality nutrition, animal care, great workplaces and growing vibrant communities.
“Dairy Tomorrow has helped everyone in the sector think about the future and direction we need to take.”
The strategy’s commitments are the basis of DairyNZ’s investments and next season it will invest $6m in projects aimed at protecting and nurturing the environment.
That is alongside $54m for research and projects supporting competitive, sustainable and resilient dairy farm businesses and $7.5m to establish dairy farms as great workplaces with talented people.
DairyNZ collected $66.2m in levies during 2017-18 and spent the largest portion (23%) on biosecurity, followed by research and development (22%).
Though DairyNZ has a large number of its staff helping the fight against Mycoplasma bovis in the cattle population it has not yet decided with Beef + Lamb NZ how the primary sector’s financial commitment is to be split.
