Neil Bateup, the founding chair of the National Rural Support Trust, will retire from the role in September.
Bateup has chaired the trust since its inception in 2017, having earlier helped to establish the Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Trust.
Michelle Ruddell, the current chair of the Northland Rural Support Trust, replaces Bateup as chair of the national trust, with Josh Dondertman, the chair of the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust, taking on the deputy chair role.
Ruddell paid tribute to Bateup, acknowledging the amount of time, energy and passion he has given the organisation.
“He advocated for the nationwide network of trusts and then the set-up of the national entity to provide a national voice for regional trusts.
“He has so much enthusiasm for supporting farmers and I look forward to building on what he achieved and taking the national trust forward.”
Ruddell is a dairy farmer near Whangārei, where she runs a split calving operation with her husband Troy and three children.
She has been involved in the Northland Rural Support Trust since 2021.
Dondertman runs a dairy farming business in Mid Canterbury with his wife and three young boys.
Bateup said the time is right to step down as national chair but he will remain as a trustee on the national trust and continue as a trustee and chair of the Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Trust.
“I’m pleased to be handing over to Michelle. It is great to see the skillset of our new trustees with Michelle and Josh able to lead rural support to a strong and sustainable future.
“I have been a passionate farmer all my life and having been through many ups and downs I recognise that it is important to have someone to look to for support in tough times.”
He said he will now have more time for fishing.
