Whāngārā Farms

📣 HE PĀNUI 💛🖤 Whāngārā Farms is incredibly proud to announce that our Chair, Hayden Swann, has been appointed as the first Chair for Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s very first Kāhui, the Māori agribusiness advisory group, to represent the needs of Whenua Māori entities. Kāhui members are representatives from some of the largest Māori owned farms in Aotearoa. The group is made up of two members from Tairāwhiti which includes representation from Tairāwhiti Whenua Group, two members Waikato/Maniapoto/Waiariki which also includes representation from Awhina Group, two from Aotea which also includes a representative from Tūwharetoa Whenua Collective, one from Northland and one member who supports across the group in different capacities. Congratulations, e te rangatira. Whāngārā Farms also extends a mihi to Beef + Lamb New Zealand who continue to build its support for Whenua Māori and represent the needs of Whenua Māori entities. https://lnkd.in/gcWwfPiU

🌳 MAKARAKA SCHOOL RELEASING ON PUKEHĀPOPO 🌳 Pukehāpopo was named by Paikea himself because of its stark similarity to the hill of the same name in his homeland of Hawaiki, the summit where he took refuge from the wrath of his teina (younger brother) Ruatapu in the aftermath of the sea battle at Te Huripureiata. Paikea also gave the name to this spectacular seascape — Whāngārā-mai-tawhiti (Whāngārāfrom-afar) — because of its striking resemblance to the place where he once lived. At a recent Makaraka School Camp, the students returned to Whāngārā Marae where they ‘released’ the same seedlings they had collected from the ngahere on Whāngārā Farms in 2022 and 2023. The seedlings were planted, germinated and raised at the Womens Native Garden Nursery in Stout Street. The students then planted the trees in 2024. For the students and teachers to see the full cycle of seed collection, raising, planting and releasing is a very fulfilling and rewarding experience. Alongside the students and the Makaraka School community, Whāngārā Farms are excited to see the journey of the plants growing bigger and flourishing on Pukehāpopo in the years to come – an incredible addition to the journey and whakapapa of this great maunga. Look at these stunning photos atop the maunga, e te whānau. Whāngārā Farms thanks you, tamariki mā! 📸 : Makaraka School

🥾 💛 🖤 WHĀNGĀRĀ FARMS FARM FIELD DAY 2025 PHOTOS 🥾 💛 🖤 We’re excited to share some photos from our Whāngārā Farms Farm Field Day held on Saturday 22nd February! We have spent the week reflecting and reminiscing on the rich kōrero shared amongst our He Rau Ake Ake project team and our whānau and shareholders. It was incredibly special to spend a day in the sun with our young and old(er), working together as one to imagine what the future looks like for te taiao ā Whāngārā Farms! We’d like to acknowledge all who attended and contributed and those working tirelessly behind the scenes to support the kaupapa, especially our dedicated board members, management, project team and kaimahi. An extra shout out to Pāpā Phil, Stan and our important manuhiri who shared some tino special kōrero around the wetlands and Puatai Beach. Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa!

🌳 100 YEAR WHENUA OPTIMISATION PLAN, HE RAU AKE AKE Wednesday 12 February Media Release for Immediate Release Whāngārā Farms in partnership with Ministry for Primary Industries, and funded by the Māori Agribusiness Climate Programme are working to develop a visionary 100-year masterplan for the whenua that outlines how the business, shareholders and its constituents would like to see current and future generations thrive and prosper on its 8,000+ hectares of whenua (land) in Whāngārā Farms partnership blocks. It will involve convening a project team of eminent experts in the fields of biodiversity, land use optimisation, livestock management, afforestation, project evaluation and decision-making framework. He Rau Ake Ake, the masterplan, establishes a holistic multi-generational vision centred in Taiao for the best possible returns for business in harmony with how all whānau can be better connected to and live prosperously with their whenua. Growing sustainable regions and helping regional communities reach their economic, environmental and social potential is critical to the goals of Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) who have an important role to play in the Masterplan as the key funder and partner of the initiative. The future-focused masterplan’s overarching aim is to support the business to thrive economically and support its’ shareholders and hapū in living aligned to their values, while providing inter-generational opportunities for all. “The desire is that the 100-year Whenua Optimisation Masterplan sets both a national and international standard for futureproofing for whenua Māori and Māori Incorporations,” says Whāngārā Farms CE, Anthony Creswell. The intent of He Rau Ake Ake is to develop a plan that balances and blends each of the disciplines of the project team into a collaborative strategy where each of these elements is optimised in harmony with what whānau and shareholders want for the whenua. Taiao is central to the 100-year masterplan process as is the need to hear from business leaders, community advocates, shareholders, their whānau and residents to better understand their priorities and concerns as Whāngārā Farms builds a roadmap to guide the Farms for the next 100 years. Please read our full media release on our website: https://lnkd.in/d4_8XuvK

📹 WHĀNGĀRĀ FARMS PODCAST, DAME INGRID NEA COLLINS We are enjoying dragging out the podcasts around our latest Dame, Aunty Ingrid Collins. Today, we are excited to share a tino special kōrero from none other than the “Queen of the netball support scene in Tairāwhiti”, a mana wahine who has sat at the helm of Māori development for decades and best of all, a long-time friend of Aunty Ingrid - Mere Pohatu. If you have a spare ten minutes in your day, sit back and enjoy the podcast with our wonderful host, Hinemihiata and Aunty Mere Pohatu discussing the greatness of Dame Ingrid Collins.

HE PĀNUI The Whāngārā Farms Partnership opposes Te Ara Tipuna Trail Tuesday 4 February 2025 Press Statement for Immediate Release The Partnership Board and all 3 Incorporations Whāngārā B5, Pakarae A & other Blocks and Tapuwae Whitiwhiti are in agreement to oppose the Te Ara Tipuna Trail Gisborne District Council consents that are explicit to the Incorporation's whenua and implicit to its shareholder's cultural spaces. The three Committees of Management of the Whāngārā Farms Partnership have met to discuss the proposed Te Ara Tipuna Trail. Whāngārā Farms Partnership will be formalising our opposition in a written submission on Te Ara Tipuna’s application for resource consent lodged with Gisborne District Council by the charitable trust, Te Ara Tipuna. Submissions must be received no later than 5pm Friday 7 February 2025. An online submission form is available on Gisborne District Council’s website or a hard copy form is available for pick up from Gisborne District Council, Ōpõtiki District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council offices. The Whāngārā Farms Partnership encourages our shareholders and whānau to also make a submission on Te Ara Tipuna to ensure their individual voices are heard. Whāngārā Farms would like to see future generations of shareholders, their whānau, hapū and iwi thrive and prosper on its whenua in the Whāngārā Farms partnership blocks. Whāngārā Farms also supports its’ shareholders, whānau and hapū in living aligned to their values, while providing intergenerational opportunities for all. Whāngārā Farms Partnership will be forging ahead to develop our 100 Year Whenua Optimisation Plan, He Rau Ake Ake. The voices of our whānau will continue to help us safeguard and guide the direction for our whenua and for our taiao, so that we and our uri whakaheke can prosper. ~ Whāngārā Farms Partnership Board For media enquiries, please contact: Toni Akana, Communications Specialist info@whangarafarms.co.nz Read the official press release on our website, here: https://lnkd.in/gRBv73Mm

🌷 DAME INGRID NEA COLLINS Mōrena e te whānau, Have a listen to a recent interview from our Aunty Ingrid, who speaks about being made a Dame of the New Zealand Order of Merit. https://lnkd.in/gcK57-Fx

🥾 ANNOUNCEMENT: 2025 WHĀNGĀRĀ FARMS FIELD DAY As we all enjoy the beautiful Raumati season, Whāngārā Farms are looking forward to the upcoming Whāngārā Farms Farm Field Day. Our dedicated team have been hard at work preparing to bring you an amazing day for all of our whānau on our whenua. We are proud to be able to put a spotlight on the biodiversity mahi, and to listen to some of the special insights from our teams and partners who have been working behind the scenes to future proof our taiao for generations to come. With that said - nau mai, haere mai e te whānau! Get in touch with our wonderful ladies in the pākihi Māori team at BDO on 06 869 1400 or mbu@bdo.co.nz to get a registration form. Ngā mihi, ~ WF

DAME INGRID COLLINS This year, Whāngārā Farms celebrates not only 50 years of having our Aunty Ingrid Collins as Board Chair of Whāngārā B5, but we'd also like our whānau and shareholders to join us in congratulating Aunty Ingrid Collins in being made a Dame of the New Zealand Order of Merit after being named in the New Year Honours List. 💛🖤💛🖤💛🖤💛 From our Prime Minister, "Dame Ingrid Collins has contributed 50 years of governance to Whāngārā B5 and has been Chair of the Whāngārā partnership since inception in 2006. It is regarded as an exemplar of best practice, sustainability and innovation for Māori land development," Luxon said. "Her contribution is significant." Aunty Ingrid, we all send our mighty congratulations, and cannot think of a better way to end our Year 2024, in celebrating you once again. https://lnkd.in/gFex-y5j

Alan Thomson, Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) newly appointed Chief Executive, has been engaging with farmers and key stakeholders across the country, including a trip to Te Tairāwhiti and Wairoa where he met with Whenua Māori stakeholders, farmers, landowners and governors. Thomson visited Whangara Farms, where many gathered to hear from Whāngārā Farms Chair and Kāhui member Hayden Swann. Swann shared insights into collective governance under one unified umbrella. Thomson was privileged to witness the transition of leadership as Ingrid Collins, a longstanding Whenua Māori governor of over 50 years, passing the reins to Swann. https://lnkd.in/gFz_WCZb