The growth of the Dairy Women's Network continues with another 900 women joining the organisation between June 2012 and May 2013 – increasing its total membership to 4000.

Farm manager Kim Milne is among the women making a difference in the dairy industry.

At its annual general meeting, Dairy Women's Network Trust Board chair Michelle Wilson says, alongside its membership growth, the year had been an exceptionally busy one. Highlights included being a key partner in developing the Strategy for Sustainable Dairy Farming; securing an $180,000 grant from the Sustainable Farming Fund to develop Project Pathfinder, the country's first leadership programme for dairying women; and welcoming Ballance Agri-Nutrients as a major sponsorship partner.

Like all businesses, there have also been challenges.

'Our first chief executive resigned earlier this year; and we've been operating at more than full steam without a full team for the last six months while we've been developing our business strategy. I am very pleased to say we aim to be announcing our new chief executive in November,” says Michelle.

Other highlights includes an increase in the number of regional group meetings from 112 to 122; announcing the second Dairy Woman of the Year, which was won by Justine Kidd and sponsored by Fonterra Milk Supply; launching a series of workshops to help agribusiness professionals and farmers recognise, relate and respond to the signs of mental illness; and securing funding from DairyNZ to appoint two new roles to the network's operational team to support its 30 regional groups throughout the country.

Changes to the network's board, in the last year, includes the retirement of trustees Neal Shaw and Sue Lindsay, and the addition of Barbara Kuriger and Hilary Webber. Michelle Wilson was also reelected as board chair for another year.

Michelle says the Dairy Women's Network represents thousands of women, who are key decision makers and industry and community leaders in their own right.

'As such, our organisation is an influential voice in the dairy industry.”