Objects of the Society

• To provide an organisation to bring about active collaboration among those involved in the science of producing food, fibre and other products from livestock.
• To provide an annual meeting for members which will encourage both inter- and intradisciplinary exchange and discussion of findings.
• To assist young people in a manner which develops an interest in the science of food and fibre production.
• To provide visions for the future of animal production in New Zealand.
• To promote the value of science in the development of animal production.
• To take such action as may be deemed necessary to foster improvement in animal production.
   

Membership

(a) All persons interested in animal production shall be eligible for membership. There shall be two classes of members, Ordinary members and Honorary Life members. All members shall have equal rights of voting and holding office and shall be entitled to receive the services and privileges of membership and to take part in all the activities of the Society. The foundation members of the Society are those listed in the Proceedings of the second Annual Conference. 

(b) ADMISSION OF MEMBERS 
Ordinary Members
Candidates for membership shall be proposed and seconded by members. The application shall be delivered to the Secretary on a suitable form bearing the signatures of proposer, seconder and candidate. The Management Committee shall have the power to grant or deny membership to any candidate. 
Honorary Life Members
Honorary Life members shall be nominated by the Management Committee and elected by an Annual General Meeting or General Meeting. They shall be persons who have rendered signal service to the cause of animal production.

(c) TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
A member shall continue his membership until resignation in writing is forwarded to the Secretary of the Society and accepted by the Management Committee; or until membership is terminated as set out below. 
(i) Any member who is at least two years in arrears of membership fees to the Society may be struck off the list of members; provided that any member so struck off, may, upon paying all fees owing, or such portion thereof as shall be decided by the Management Committee, be reinstated as a member of the Society. 
(ii) The Management Committee shall have power to terminate the membership of any member of the Society whose actions bring discredit upon or hinder the effective operation of the Society.
In any action under these clauses the member shall have the right to state his case to the Management Committee whose decision shall be final. 

(d) MEMBERSHIP FEES
The membership fee shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting. Fees of some members may be reduced as follows: 
(i) A member in full time attendance at a University may, on application to the Management Committee, be required to pay only 50% of the membership fee, for the year in which application is made. 
(ii) A member who has been of good financial standing for at least ten years and who has retired from active work may, on application to the Management Committee, be required to pay only 50% of the membership fee thereafter. 
(iii) Honorary Life members shall not be required to pay any membership fee.

Alterations, Additions or Revisions to Rules

The Rules of the Society may be altered, added to or rescinded at any general meeting of the Society provided that notice of motion of such alteration, addition or revision has been received by the Secretary of the Society at least thirty days before the meeting at which such alteration, addition or revision is to be considered. No alteration, addition or revision shall be valid until accepted by the Registrar of Incorporated Societies.

Meetings

(a) GENERAL MEETINGS
Notice shall be given of all general meetings of the Society by circular sent to all members at least thirty days before the date of such meetings. Such notice shall include an Agenda of the Business for which such meeting is called and any alterations, additions or rescissions to the Rules of the Society to be considered at that meeting.
Fifteen members present in person shall constitute a quorum. An Annual General Meeting shall be held.

A special general meeting shall be called by the Secretary either on the instruction of the Management Committee or on receipt of a written request signed by at least twenty members of the society.

(b) VOTING
Voting for members of the Management Committee shall be by secret ballot.
On all other issues the method of voting shall be at the discretion of the chairman unless a majority of those present request a secret ballot, in which case a secret ballot shall be held.

At any meeting of the Society or of the Management Committee, matters shall be decided by a majority vote of those present in person at the meeting. In the case of the voting being equal, the chairman shall have a casting vote as well as a deliberative vote.

Management Committee

The affairs of the Society shall be in the hands of a Management Committee consisting of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor of Proceedings, Newsletter Manager, Website Manager, Publications Manager, Convenor of the Conference Organising Committee and Immediate Past President, each of whom shall be members of the Society. Providing always that the offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by one person or two. The Management Committee shall be elected annually by ballot except that the Vice-President shall automatically become the President for the year following his election as Vice-President and the President shall automatically become the Immediate Past President.
The Management expenses incurred by the Secretary, The Treasurer and the Editor of Proceedings may be reimbursed to an annual limit set by the Annual General Meeting.

Nominations for election to the Management Committee shall be proposed and seconded by members. Nominations shall be in writing, signed by the proposer, seconder and nominee, and be in the hands of the Secretary at least 70 days prior to the holding of the Annual General Meeting. Numbered ballot-papers shall be forwarded by the Secretary to all members at least 30 days prior to the holding of the Annual General Meeting. Completed ballot-papers shall be in the hands of the Secretary before the commencement of the Annual General Meeting.

Ballot-papers shall be counted by two scrutineers appointed by the Annual General Meeting and the results shall be announced at the Annual General Meeting by the Secretary. All Officers shall be elected by a straight majority vote.

The Management Committee shall hold office until conclusion of the next annual meeting. The President of the Society, if present, shall be the chairman of all general and Committee meetings. Otherwise the Vice-President shall act as chairman. Failing attendance of both President and Vice-President, the Management Committee shall elect a chairman for any general or committee meeting. A quorum for a Management Committee meeting shall be four members.

In the event of any member of the Management Committee becoming incapable of acting, or having to vacate his office, or in the event of any office not being filled, the Management Committee may thereupon appoint any member of the Society to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of office. A member so appointed to the Management Committee may have voting rights on any motion before that Committee.

The Management Committee may co-opt onto the Committee, no more than two members of the Society to undertake specific tasks on behalf of the Society for a period up to the next Annual General Meeting. Any member co-opted to the Management Committee of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production may have speaking but not voting rights on any motion before that Committee.

The Management Committee shall conduct the general business of the Society.

Common Seal

The Common Seal of the Society shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary and shall be used only by authority of a resolution of the Management Committee. Every instrument to which the Seal is affixed shall be signed by one member of the Management Committee and the Secretary.

Control and Investment of Funds

Funds of the Society shall be under the control of the Management Committee. All moneys received shall be paid into a banking account with such Bank as may be decided upon from time to time by the Management Committee. All withdrawals from the Account shall be signed by two members of the Management committee. The Management Committee may from time to time invest and reinvest in such securities on such terms as it shall think fit, the whole or any part of its funds which shall not be required for the immediate purpose of the Society.

Borrowing Powers

The Management Committee shall have the power to raise money for the purpose of the Society and to pledge, mortgage or give as security for such monies all or any of the real or personal property, assets and effects (both present and future) of the Society. The Management Committee may also borrow money from the Society's bankers on overdraft or otherwise, with or without security. The amount borrowed from all sources shall not at any one time exceed a total of $10,000.

Winding Up

The Society may be wound up voluntarily if at a General Meeting a resolution is passed requiring the Society to be wound up, and the resolution is confirmed at a subsequent General Meeting called for that purpose and held not earlier than thirty days after the date on which the resolution so to be confirmed was passed. Notice of such resolution shall be forwarded on to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies. Subject to the provisions of the Incorporated Societies Act, 1908, and amendments, and to any regulations made under the authority thereof, the meeting referred to above may direct the method if disposition of the funds and property of the Society (after all liabilities of the Society have been fully discharged) after the winding up thereof.

Annual Report and Statement of Accounts

The Management Committee shall at the Annual General Meeting present a report dealing with the affairs of the Society supported by a duly audited statement of the income and expenditure of the Society and a statement of assets and liabilities.

General

Any question arising as to the interpretation of these Rules, or any question arising on any subject within the scope of the Society's authority not otherwise provided for, shall be decided by the Management Committee whose decision shall be final.