Mrs Dianne Milne, ONZM, of Dobson, for services to the rural community
Mrs Dianne Milne was the first woman to be elected as Chair of Rotomanu Federated Farmers, Chair of Provincial Meat and Wool, Provincial President of the West Coast Federated Farmers, Chair of Rural Support Trust, and Director of Phoenix Meat Company Limited.
She was Vice President of West Coast Federated Farmers during a period of 13 months of continuous rain that placed farmers under a lot of pressure, leading to the establishment of the Rural Support Trust, which she chaired and of which she remains a Trustee.
She provided support to West Coast farmers, and a confidential 24-hour 0800-line was established with calls going directly to her.
Mrs Milne was a Member of the West Coast Regional Animal Health Committee, where she mentored farmers impacted by bovine tuberculosis.