‘‘A bit of a surprise,’’ said Andy Macfarlane when remarking on being named in the recent New Year’s Honours List 2026.
The 67-year-old founding director of Macfarlane Rural Business lives on a dairy farm on the outskirts of Ashburton with wife Tricia.
He was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the deer industry.
McFarlane was chair of Deer Industry New Zealand 2010 to 2017.
At the time he joined the organisation’s board, the industry had been in a period of decline.
‘‘As chair, he was the driving force behind a transformative partnership with the government to help turn around the profitability and realise its commercial potential,’’ the citation in the New Year’s Honours List says.
This came in the form of $14 million seven-year primary growth partnership Passion2Profit, co-funded by the deer industry with the Ministry for Primary Industries.
‘‘He developed a model whereby farmers were enabled to form regional groups to identify problems and opportunities, with appropriate expertise made available as required, encouraging farmers to take up new practices to improve productivity.
“Macfarlane has chaired the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund Plantain Project since 2021.’’
McFarlane said while having been involved in deer farming since the 1980s, roles throughout the years have also included in the sheep, beef and dairy industries.
He has variously been a long-term director of Anzco Foods, Fonterra, Nga ¯i Tahu Farming and AgResearch.
He said environmental sustainability and ‘‘bringing young people through’’ had been prime considerations.
‘‘I have probably been a heading dog to make sure we drive talent in those sectors,’’ Macfarlane said.
Macfarlane was also a Lincoln University councillor from 2009 to 2021 and is a past president of the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management.
‘‘When I reflect back, Canterbury in particular has been a fertile ground for acting on opportunities, you can see that in the economic wealth around here and how healthy the Ashburton economy is.’’
The award was recognition of a collective effort, including from Tricia who was on the farm raising their four children while he pursued his career and travelled around the countryside.
Today, son Thomas operates South Canterbury deer farm Stanton Station, owned by themselves and other investors.
