Recognising the impact of the IHC Calf & Rural Scheme in rural communities through Pink Week.

For more than four decades, the IHC Calf & Rural Scheme has been making a meaningful difference in rural communities across New Zealand; made possible thanks to the ongoing support of farmers and the wider rural community. 

Since its inception, the scheme has raised more than $43 million to support people with intellectual disabilities and their families, helping fund essential services in communities where that support is often needed most.

Pink Week, an annual initiative led by PGG Wrightson and IHC, will run from 10 – 17 April 2026. It shines a spotlight on the scheme and the difference it makes to the lives of some of New Zealand’s most vulnerable people. 

Across the country, PGG Wrightson teams will come together to raise awareness of the scheme and connect with their communities. Stores and offices will get involved by turning their workplaces pink, with staff getting behind the theme and taking part in a bit of friendly competition for best dressed and best decorated spaces. (Pictured below is the Waimate Store decorated for Pink Week last year -2025.)

Some stores and offices will even host a morning tea, bringing together staff, farmers, customers and local IHC representatives. In addition, $1 from every PEL Pigtail Standard 760mm purchased from PGG Wrightson Stores during the week will be donated to the scheme.

Each season, farmers generously pledge calves, with PGG Wrightson’s livestock teams helping to coordinate the collection, sale and delivery of those animals, which results in making a real difference to rural NZ. For those who may not have calves to donate, there are also options to pledge lambs, donate virtual livestock or contribute directly to the scheme.

“In recent years, Pink Week has provided an opportunity for the wider PGG Wrightson team to get behind the scheme, helping raise awareness and additional funds alongside the contributions farmers make each season,” says PGG Wrightson CEO Stephen Guerin. 

“Raising more than $43 million over 43 years speaks to the strength of that support and the important role rural communities continue to play in making a difference.”

While Pink Week provides a visible moment of recognition, the impact of the IHC Calf & Rural Scheme is felt year-round. It reflects the strength of rural communities and the willingness of farmers and others to support a cause that continues to make a genuine difference. 

If you'd like to pledge a calf, make sure to talk to your local livestock rep. Alternatively you can donate or pledge a virtual calf here.