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Rural Leaders News

The 2023 Rural Leaders Agribusiness Summit.

Forefront - Rural Leaders Agribusiness Summit

The 2023 Rural Leaders Agribusiness Summit theme ‘Forefront’ reflects focus on the businesses making change and providing solutions to some of the sector’s biggest challenges and opportunities.  

The Summit seeks to promote global vision, leadership and innovation by demonstrating some of the practical solutions shown to mitigate the challenges facing agribusiness today.  

The Summit begins with a welcome and scene setting session snapshotting the imperative for change and the opportunities landscape. 

Guest speakers for this session include, Devry Boughner Vorwerk, CEO DevryBV.  

This opening session is designed to supercharge the discussion sessions to come, organised into three key streams:

Our World - Our Natural Environment

10-11:45am
 

This session explores leadership and innovation in the advancement and restoration of the natural resources critical to the future of agribusiness.

The session showcases those champions nurturing the environment while also remaining profitable. The session will also have a circular economy thread, exploring businesses redesigning food chains to remove waste and reuse product not consumed. 

Guest speakers will include:

Lain Jager, Chair, Te Puna Whakaaronui (NZ Primary Sector Think Tank)

Volker Kuntzsch, CEO, Cawthorn Institute

Followed by a panel discussion facilitated by Corin Dann.

Our People - Consumer Trends and Trade

12:45-2:30pm

The focus of this session will be on businesses responding to the unstoppable international trends of power shifting to the consumer, business models being challenged, and the eastern movement of the world’s economic centre of gravity. 

Delegates will be able to seize on the learnings of agri-food and consumer businesses meeting the challenges of fast-changing demographics, food trends and changes in consumer values.  

It also explores the opportunities that may arise for agribusiness as we experience a convergence of changing world population demographics and more transparent trade policy. 

Guest speakers will include:

Vangelis Vitalis, Deputy Secretary Trade and Economic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Tom Sturgess, owner of Lone Star Farms

And a panel discussion facilitated by Corin Dann.

Our Future - Entrepreneurship & Leadership

3:00-4:30pm

The third session will concentrate on the future, social, economic and environmental wellbeing of agribusiness. The session will cover the areas where value will be derived in generations to come, showcasing world-leading business case studies and responsive new business models. 

Speakers from a range of industries will show how economic viability will be key to family business succession and intergenerational business value growth.  

Guest speakers so far include:

Traci Houpapa, MNZM

Angus Brown,

As with the previous two sessions, Corin Dann will facilitate a panel discussion.

 

To close out the day’s schedule, there will be a wrap-up focussing some of the key takeaways and action commitments.

This will run from 4:30 to 5:15pm and precede a networking drinks opportunity. 

Agribusiness Summit Dinner

7-10:30pm

Featuring Special Guest Speakers – Hon Minister Damien O’Connor and Te Radar.  

We’ll provide more information on the Summit, networking and dinner in the coming weeks across our networks as well as our Rural Leaders and Programmes social media pages.  

For Summit and Dinner prices and bookings visit https://au.eventscloud.com/agribusinesssummit

 

2022 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarship Awards. 

2022 Nuffield Scholars and Rural Leaders Board of Trustees

On Wednesday evening Rural Leaders hosted the 2022 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarship Awards in Wellington. This was an opportunity to formally award scholarships to Parmindar Singh, Lucie Douma and Anthony Taueki – a year later than planned. 

While it was a smaller occasion than it might have been, it was no less important. Hon. Minister Damien O’Connor, was again generous with his time. A special thank you to our Strategic Partners, Agmardt, DairyNZ, Beef+LambNZ, Mackenzie Charitable Trust, and FMG too, for their ongoing support and their help in making the evening a success.

The conversation with Partners, Hon. Damien O’Connor, Rural Leaders’ Board members (some pictured with the Scholars above), and the 2022 Nuffield Scholars themselves, was immensely enriching and overwhelmingly positive.  

The evening also provided an opportunity to thank the NZ Rural Leadership Trust Board’s Ariana Estoras – Independent Trustee and Natalie Bowie – Associate Trustee, for their commitment, expertise, and service as they step down.

The positive impact of Nuffield on the Food and Fibre Sector.

Kate Scott, NZ Rural Leaders’ Trust Board Chair, spoke of Nuffield’s impact, with statistics from the Mackenzie Study, a Rural Leaders’ collaboration with The Otago University School of Business. Some key statistics mentioned include: 

  • Nuffield Scholars hold and average of 14 senior leadership roles over their career. 
  • Over 40% have served in government leadership roles. 
  • During their careers, on average, each Scholar will hold 4 or more board positions. 
  • Each Scholar has created an average of 3.3 businesses.
  • And each creates an average of 48 FTE roles. 

In addressing Rural Leaders’ Partners Kate said, “That is the measurable impact of your support for us and of the support we are trying to give back to our sector.” 

Acknowledging the disruptive times we are in, Kate Scott said that the need for exceptional leadership remains more critical than ever. Adding that New Zealand agriculture both here and globally, is again more important than it has ever been, “Especially as we look to embark on our journey of Taiao ora, Tangata ora – if the natural world is healthy, so too are the people”, added Kate Scott. 

Kate also spoke to the need for stronger collaboration, before introducing the Hon. Minister Damien O’Connor. The Minister acknowledged both Chris Parsons, Rural Leaders’ CEO and Kate Scott, for their hard work and energy before giving an informative talk about the value of Nuffield and the New Zealand Primary Sector’s place in the world.  

Nuffield Scholar’s research topics - fit for a fast-changing food system.

Each of the 2022 Scholars gave updates on the progress and direction of their research. It was a first chance for many to hear from the Scholars themselves. 

Anthony Taueki, 2022 Nuffield Scholar with Minister Damien O'Connor

Anthony Taueki, 2022 Nuffield Scholar.

Of his research Anthony Taueki, explained that his topic ‘Pathways for the Primary Industries from the grassroots up’, had gone through many different moulds. Anthony is focussing on the vocational transition from high school to career, with particular attention to those facing challenges within the current system. 

He explained that what was currently defining his research on career pathways, were the questions, “Can you provide me with positive pathways? Can you provide me with positive culture? Can you provide me with pastoral care? And perhaps most powerfully, “Can you see me?”  

Anthony discussed the need for decision makers to collaborate, to break down the silos that exist in order to create one consistent message, to create positive sector career opportunities for all New Zealanders, “We shouldn’t be above our people, we should be beside them”, Said Anthony. 

Lucie Douma, 2022 Nuffield Scholar with Hon. Damien O'Connor

Lucie Douma, 2022 Nuffield Scholar.

Lucie spoke about how her research topic ‘Data Interoperability’ will look closely at what data farmers need to be making the decisions they need to make to meet our regulatory and environmental requirements.  

However, as Lucie explained, after beginning her already extensive travel both with the Contemporary Scholars Conference and independently too, the focus of her research was evolving. Lucie explained that the UK and Europe, as a consequence of the pandemic and lockdown, have moved significantly, with rises in food activism and groups facing food challenges.  

Lucie elucidated, that a contributing factor here is that consumers are even more disconnected from their food system. Lucie believes data may provide some solutions here. 

Parmindar Singh, 2022 Nuffield Scholar with Hon. Damien O'Connor

Parmindar Singh, 2022 Nuffield Scholar.

Finally, Parmindar Singh spoke of her pride at being a fourth generation dairy farmer and of the responsibility she has to her family before her. Parmindar’s research will look at export markets for our dairy products. It will aim to unpack what our future export markets might look like, especially given our current reliance on just a few.  

“I’ll focus on three potential markets. The first is Japan. The second is Singapore. The third is the United Arab Emirates. All very different, though all gateway markets”, explained Parmindar.  

Parmindar went on to add that her research will focus on how people consume dairy in these countries, look into their culture, their economics and how the political context impacts social stability in these countries. 

The 2023 Nuffield Scholars announced in two months.

As the 2022 Scholars now progress with their travel and research, a new group of Food and Fibre Sector leaders have started their journey to selection to the 2023 cohort.

We’ll announce the selected 2023 Scholars in November, when the next Nuffield Awards are to be held.

CEO update on Kellogg accreditation.

Rual Leaders

A message from our CEO Chris Parsons, MNZM, DSD, CMinstD.

Chris Parsons, CEO New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust

As the year flies by all too fast, I thought it good to pause a moment to highlight a key development that we have been working on for just over a year and to acknowledge some of the achievements that Nuffield and Kellogg Scholars and the NZ Rural Leaders family have made over the last 12 months.   

Firstly, Kellogg Scholars have embraced the opportunity to obtain a Post Graduate Certificate alongside their Kellogg qualification. This is an opt-in opportunity and to date 98% of Kelloggers have.  

We would like to acknowledge Lincoln University for offering the chance for food and fibre leaders to gain this additional value. 

We’d like to acknowledge Massey University too, for recognising Kellogg for up to 60 post-graduate credits applied to further learning in both their business school and college of sciences. 

We are on track for 62 Scholars to concurrently achieve a Post Graduate Certificate by the end of the year!   

This achievement marks the two-year anniversary of The Pāhautea Initiative – a partnership between Lincoln University, Massey University, the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT) and Rural Leaders. 

The initiative focuses on lifting education levels across the sector and building deeper leadership benches in the regions, with the aim of creating a sustainable future for food and fibre. Accreditation of core programmes is key to delivering on the partnership’s purpose. 

If one of your neighbours or a work mate is considering becoming a Kellogg Scholar and opting in for the PG Cert, the good news is they do not need a prior degree to enrol for the PG Cert, we will work with you and Lincoln on admission requirements.  

Previous Kellogg Scholars (at this stage, from 2014 onwards) can apply for recognition of prior learning from Lincoln and Massey Universities, by contacting Lisa Rogers at lisarogers@ruralleaders.co.nz 

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge all those of you who have been selected to Boards, started businesses, led transformation, or helped your communities and environments.

Rural scholarship is all about creating impact – we get reports almost daily of alumni who are improving the sector and standing up to be counted.

Thank you for all you do! 

Back to the August 2022 Rural Leader.

Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme takes its 1,000th step forward.

Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme - Delivery Team

Can I have your attention please – the one thousandth graduate of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme has just left the building!

Like the graduates before, they return to their family, community, industry, and to contribute to a sector that just got a little smarter, a little stronger.   

We’ll know more about the scale of the Kellogg Alumni’s collective impact as we get closer to completing the Mackenzie Study with the Otago  School of Business.

The first stage of this Study revealed remarkable personal and sector gains attributable to participation in the Nuffield Scholarship. The second stage should show similar results for Kellogg. After all, it has evolved over decades to be one of the most respected rural leadership programmes in Australasia.  

“People know the programme. It’s respected. They’ve seen the contributions that the Kellogg graduates have made over time”, says Dr Scott Champion, Programme Director. 

“It’s enormously significant. Obviously, there are other programmes that contribute as well, but you can’t deny the programme’s longevity. It has impacted on large scale now – we’ve just had the 1000th Kellogg Graduate.  

“Depending on whether we do two or three programmes, that’s somewhere between 45 and 65 Scholars per year. You start to build quite a community”, adds Scott Champion. 

Kellogg, a leadership programme spanning six decades.

The programme was initially developed in collaboration with the Kellogg Company in the US, as a way to enhance global leadership capability. Since then Kellogg Rural Leadership programme was reinvented many times over, keeping up with the challenges and the times. It delivers New Zealand centred syllabus, accredited by Lincoln and Massey Universities and delivered by the Rural Leaders.

In 2013, Kellogg was transferred to the newly-formed New Zealand Rural Leadership Consortium. This merged with the Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarship to create a single organisation. Four years later, the consortium became a registered charitable trust and changed its name to the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust (Rural Leaders). 

A partnership known as the Pāhautea Initiative was formed in 2020 between Lincoln University, Massey University, AGMARDT and Rural Leaders. The initiative focused on building leadership capability in the regions, with the aim of creating a sustainable future for Food and Fibre.  

More recently, Kellogg academic accreditation through both Lincoln and Massey Universities has become available to those who undertake the Programme.

Kellogg offers new networks, friends and industry connections.

Rural Leaders deliver up to three programmes a year, with two based at Lincoln University. The other, in alignment with the Pāhautea Initiative’s aim of growing flourishing regions, is the same Lincoln Programme, only regionally based.  

Numbers are kept low to ensure a transformative experience, as the Kellogg journey is as much about learning from fellow scholars and developing a pan-sector network of friends as it is being exposed to industry leaders and new ideas. 

“For many Kellogg scholars, the enduring relationships and access to a network of like-minded change agents offers the most decisive outcome from the Programme. There’s a strong sense of trust, reciprocity, and a ‘pay it forward’ attitude which emerges amongst participants, says Phil Morrison, Kellogg Facilitator. 
 

The Kellogg eco-system of support and delivery.

The Kellogg team is passionate, dedicated, and ably steered by Chris Parsons, Rural Leaders’ CEO. Lisa Rogers, Programmes Manager, Annie Chant, Operations and Events Manager further support Scholars and Kellogg facilitators Dr Scott Champion and Phil Morrison, Dr Patrick Aldwell and examiner Professor Hamish Gow.  

The team work hard to provide a varied and stimulating learning experience.  

The Programme is delivered over three phases and includes two papers, the first of which requires the completion of specific assignments. This is delivered by Dr Scott Champion and Phil Morrison. 

The second paper, delivered by Dr Patrick Aldwell, involves completing a research project and giving a presentation at the end of the programme.  

Kellogg pushes beyond Primary sector boundaries.

On the first day of Phase One, Scholars are asked an important question. 

“On the first day they come in to the programme, we ask them, what’s the one thing you want to hit by the end? And then on the last day, we ask them what was most valuable thing to you through the programme?”, It’s a before and after comparison of perceptions of value,” says Dr Scott Champion. 

The results of this survey reveal where the true value is. One Scholar coming into the programme states, my one thing would be ‘…to find where I fit.’ At the end, that same Scholar says their most valuable thing was ‘the connections made with fellow Scholars and the greater Kellogg network’. Fit found perhaps. 

“It’s something you see really elevating as Scholars go through. And I think that’s evident in what they talk about as being most valuable to them. They often come in with something quite narrow and specific, like ‘I want to learn how to do X’, but when they leave, it’s about networks, understanding systems, understanding stuff beyond the boundaries of the sector they work in”, adds Dr Champion. 

Develop a questioning mindset with Kellogg.

On Phase One, Scholars embark on a nine-day, eight-night residential module based at Lincoln University, or potentially closer to home for the regionally based programme.  

This phase sets the foundations. It explores leadership skills and tools, including personal and team styles, design thinking, and critical analysis. Leadership applications of skills are also covered in various situational contexts, along with leadership strategic contexts – with a focus on New Zealand Food and Fibre Sector strategies and leadership challenges. 

Most importantly, underpinning this is the active encouragement of Scholars by facilitators, to develop a questioning mindset. 

“We play a video on the first day of Phase One, where a guy is saying, managers are defined by the things they know, leaders are defined by the questions they ask. It’s a 30 second clip, and it just nails it for me”, says Dr Champion. 

“We’ll often see comments in Scholars’ reflection journals from Phase One like, Oh, man, I thought I needed to know everything. But perhaps I don’t need to know everything. I just need to be able to think and ask questions.” 

Kellogg builds the confidence to engage with food and fibre leaders.

What Kellogg does so well is to expose Scholars to industry leaders. All of these senior people are eager to engage in conversations, and look to Scholars as the next generation of leaders, hungry to learn about the things they need to be thinking about. Kellogg creates a new interface for that knowledge transfer.  

“There’s often a reticence when senior or experienced industry people get in front of Scholars, to engage in a conversation, to ask questions. I completely understand that. So, what we’ve deliberately tried to do is reduce the monologue from the front, and increase the opportunity for questions. And then give them a real nudge to speak up. Scholars soon discover these people are very approachable,” says Dr Champion. 

“So experientially, we shift beyond just the head learning, to the heart learning. They think, I can do this, it was alright. That industry leader seemed to think that was an interesting question.”  

Scholars also make contact with industry leaders themselves, particularly during the individual research projects. Engaged people from a range of industries often respond to Scholars’ questions within 24 hours, and are more than happy to do interviews to help with research. 

“I think it speaks to the brand and standing of the Programme. There’s an opportunity to use the Kellogg brand to be able to talk to industry people and have some conversations that you might not otherwise be able to do”, says Dr Champion. 

Kellogg Scholars - from lifelong friends to lifelong learning.

Throughout the Programme, Dr Patrick Aldwell, Academic Director, works closely with Scholars to help them complete an individual research project. This is undertaken between Phase One and Phase Three.  

Scholars choose a topic of interest that also contributes to developing leadership outcomes and aspirations. The project brings together problem definition, research tool application, critical analysis, report writing and presentation. 

Dr Aldwell fosters a philosophy of lifelong learning with Scholars, and for many this begins with the research and reading disciplines acquired doing the research project. 

“That’s something that you need to adopt to be a leader. And the key part of that is reading widely”, says Dr Aldwell. 

On the programme the facilitators demonstrate to Scholars the importance of the lifelong learning piece, particularly in the critical thinking and critical analysis area, gathering different perspectives, seeking information, and evaluating its value and authenticity as well. 

“If there’s one key thing that’s changed in the last two years, is that we’ve gone from just comparing and contrasting information, and the status of that information, to comparing, contrasting and evaluating it,” adds Dr Aldwell.  

Dr Aldwell explains that one huge benefit he has seen arise from individual research is that Scholars gain at least one specialist area of knowledge, to the extent that in some organisations, they’ve become the go-to person for that area. Whether it’s dealing with anything from waste in the dairy industry, to succession planning.  

“That’s not just the knowledge and capability side of things, but also the ability to access, evaluate and produce credible information and analysis in an era of rising misinformation, and disinformation, the politicisation of those, and of knowledge,” states Dr Aldwell. 

Kellogg is an executive leadership programme gearing Scholars for success.

On the Programme’s remaining two phases the foundations built in Phase One guide Scholars strongly.  

Phase Two’s five day, four night residential in Wellington, looks at how to engage and influence decision making at local, regional and central government and industry level.  

Phase Three’s five-day (four-night) residential at Lincoln University, is the culmination of the project work, where Scholars demonstrate the application of research, presentation and critical analysis skills.  

A final goal setting for the future piece includes personal brand identification and provides the platform for ongoing learning and leadership development. 

“I get a real kick out of watching the Scholars succeed in life, because I do follow them, watch them grow, and develop. Seeing them have confidence to take the next step, no matter what that is. I’m constantly astounded at the energy they have, the strength of character they have, to see things through,” says Dr Aldwell. 

Who is the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme for?

Many Scholars who come into the programme, are in the transition from a technical management role to generalist management role.  

“The things that get you through that technical pathway, which is typically about knowledge and excellence, these are not the things that are necessarily going to equip you for the next generalist bit,” says Dr Champion.  

The programme helps leaders make that transition, whether they’re slightly beyond that, right on the cusp, or whether that might be something for them in the future.  

Arming Scholars with the ability to understand and make connections in ways that others can’t predict, or don’t. This is the alignment between what the programme does and equipping people to progress in their careers.  

“The best Scholars, leave able to join the dots, and make connections across areas that might seem quite disconnected when you first look at them. They’re able to lift above, like the specifics of the context of something, and think quite strategically about it”, notes Dr Champion. 

“They see connections across sectors or issues and that helps them think about opportunities, risks and challenges in quite different ways. The ability to do that as a leader is an enormously helpful thing”, adds Dr Champion. 

Rural Leaders’ bigger picture and Kellogg’s role in it.

The Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme, The Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarship, and the Value Chain Innovation Programme exist for one reason – to grow leaders with the ability to deliver the changes in food and fibre that ensure our communities, country and planet flourish. 

This isn’t just a version of a line on a website – 1000 Kellogg graduates, our rural leaders, are delivering that change. In the coming months we’ll share the Mackenzie study’s findings on their impact. There’s unlikely to be too many surprises. 

Dr Champion concludes,

“We have a collective intent in the Kellogg Programme, where we want to see Scholars contributing back to the sector and rural communities and ensuring the wellbeing of the regions and their people.” 

Value Chain Innovation Programme.

Delivered by Rural Leaders and Lincoln University.

The Value Chain Innovation Programme will begin in November 2022 with applications closing in just over six weeks’ time on 18 September. 

Learn directly from New Zealand’s most successful value chain leaders. 

Delivery partners Rural Leaders and Lincoln University have together curated an exciting and varied series of value chain case studies across dairy, arable, horticulture, and more.  

By completing this programme you’ll learn directly from the source, gaining unique insights into food and fibre innovation, in both domestic and international markets. This is an opportunity to interact and learn from leaders who have a track record of successful entrepreneurship.

“Increasingly the most successful value chains are those with business models closely aligned to their customers, use protected IP, and provide innovative shared value structures”, says Lincoln University Professor, and Programme Co-facilitator Hamish Gow. 

As you advance through the programme you’ll compare and transpose thinking at a time when the primary industries are going through the biggest period of transformational change since the 1980’s.  

What do you gain from doing the Value Chain Innovation Programme? 

By participating you’ll grow your know-how in the following ways: 

  • learn about value chains and models 
  • learn how to generate and capture value 
  • meet key industry leaders and make connections 
  • learn from Co-facilitators Professor Hamish Gow and Phil Morrison ONZM, both with deep knowledge of NZ and international value chains 
  • form a high-trust cohort of lifelong friends. 

“If you’re in food and fibre, now is the time to be gaining a pan-sector view of as many successful business models as possible”, adds Prof. Gow. 

The programme runs over five weeks, two of which are spent on the road. The remaining time is spent on an (optional) individual research report.  

“The time commitment is 100 hours on field trips, guest lectures and networking, online lectures and discussions, tutorials, and another 50 hours of self-directed learning,” said Prof. Gow.   

The Value Chain Innovation Programme delivery team. 

“As a global leader and thinker in value chain design, innovation and entrepreneurship, Lincoln University’s Professor Hamish Gow is uniquely qualified to impart deeper strategic learning and insight into November’s programme”, says Rural Leaders’ CEO Chris Parsons. 

Co-facilitator Phil Morrison, ONZM, further strengthens the delivery team, “We are also fortunate to have Phil onboard. He brings a different leadership perspective, drawing on a career in military command, and in the delivery of innovation, strategic and leadership training as a consultant. With both Hamish and Phil, we couldn’t hope for a stronger team”, added Chris Parsons. 

Building the Food and Fibre Sector’s leadership capability.  

The programme will give you the competencies, confidence, and networks to influence change and lead transformation at an enterprise level and throughout regional New Zealand.   

“We hope this programme will lead to positive, larger scale change as our graduates continue to grow and contribute to a fast-changing Food and Fibre Sector’, said Chris Parsons.

Ready to grow your business, understanding of value chains, and how NZ’s Food and Fibre Sector works? 

For more information visit the site below or contact Lisa Rogers at lisarogers@ruralleaders.co.nz 

Applications are open until 18 September and can be made at ruralleaders.co.nz/value-chain/  

Lucie’s Nuffield US travel so far – in less than five minutes.

Lucie Douma. 
 
Soon after Lucie Douma and Parmindar Singh returned from their Nuffield CSC in the UK, Lucie was traveling again. This time in North America.  
 
Lucie is four weeks into her US trip that has so far covered: California, Illinois, Wisconsin, and more. Lucie is currently in Texas and will round out her travel visiting Washington DC, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon. 
 
Lucie is gathering information and insights on her Interoperability work. The working title of her research topic is On-farm data management and governance: Creating a system and understanding where farmers benefit from data. 

Here is Lucie’s Nuffield travel in the US so far – in less than five minutes.

Note – some posts have been edited for brevity. 

Start of July 2022

The start of my next Nuffield journey couldn’t be better. A group of international scholars were in a Fourth of July parade in the town of Clarksburg, just south of Sacramento. I felt welcomed by the local community and it is great to see such strong support for farming here. 

CA berries
California TM
_0021_LD CA Vineyard_
_0023_LD CA wheat
_0020_LD CA field

Clarksburg, California.

First half July 2022

We had a fantastic wine tasting at Tom Merwin’s vineyard. We heard how his farm maintains a competitive advantage. The most value for his business comes from his wine club subscription, where he has a direct link to customers rather than having to go through intermediaries. 

He explained more about his 1200-acre farming operation; 650 in vines and the remainder in arable (wheat and safflower). And we were also able to talk all things data. 

In the region of Clarksburg, California, they have a high-water table and two rivers nearby. Because of this they don’t have the water take restrictions the rest of California does. 

Tom takes a lot of time to make sure he is ahead of the game, always looking at how he can do things better or differently. For example, he’s experimenting with growing all-natural blackberries (no herbicides or pesticides), which will be sold at a local farmer’s market. 

_0006_LD CA Salinas

Salinas, California.

First half July 2022

Spent a fantastic day in Salinas with Dennis Donohue and Walt Duflock at the Western Growers Technology and Innovation Centre. 

We met some inspiring people including Norm Groot who is working hard to ensure future water availability for County ranchers and growers. 

We also heard from Church Brothers’ Joshua Reed, who is empowering his people by sharing the data from their vegetable and leafy green growing so his staff can maximise yield production. He has managed to increase yields overall by 20% by using and analysing data. 

Dennis Donohue thank you for a fantastic visit and organising the day so well for us!  

_0012_LD CA Fresno group
Lucy Duoma Fresno almond orchard
_0011_LD Fresno tomatos_

Fresno, California.

Mid July 2022

What a time to be in California. Elisa Blanco and I had the pleasure of spending the morning with Wendy Larson and her father, Glen Anderson, on their 20-acre organic almond orchard, that sells direct to customers. They helped establish the organic almond industry. 

In the afternoon we had a tour of a much larger 8000-acre property, Terranova Ranch, Inc. They grow crops from organic tomatoes, peppers for Subway, red and white onions, to almonds and pistachios. This was an impressive operation, and they work hard to ensure water resource is managed well.  

Then for my final day in California it would’ve been remiss of me not to see the Muir Woods’ towering old growth redwoods. On to Chicago now.

_0028_LD Chicago bananas at Whole Foods
_0027_LD Chicago Meat section
_0026_ LD Chicago Cheese Section
_0025_LD Chicago probiotics
_0024_LD Chicago wines

Chicago, Illinois.

Mid July 2022

First day in Chicago. I took a trip to a Whole Foods store where I noticed the New Zealand wine on offer. This is a store where country of origin is really important and those that shop there want to see who they are supporting and what they are supporting. Like the bananas shown – supporting students through their scholarships.  

Whole Foods also have their own certified animal welfare standards where the meat is traceable to farm. It is also hormone and antibiotics free – like much of New Zealand’s meat. 

_0002_LD Stevens 1
_0003_LD Sevens XX3
_0004_LD Sevens XX2

Champaign, Illinois.

Posted about one and a half weeks ago. 

The crops in Champaign, Illinois are predominately corn and soybeans. One farmer is looking at a third type of crop, miscanthus, which is a reedy type of grass and is used in biomass fuel and cut up into chips for turkey bedding.  

This is an interesting third crop that could be worked into the rotation of these fields, but there needs to be an increase in demand for it. Possibly the rise in fuel costs will do this? 

The innovation in machinery here is at the point where corn can be planted at 13-16kmph. This means 80 acres (or 32 hectares) of corn can be planted in one hour! The machinery is so impressive! 

Also you cannot be in the rural country of the US without going to a local community fair, with the tractor and truck pulling! Thanks to the local farmers for inviting me to go with them. 

Also posted about one and a half weeks ago. 

I spent a great day with the Champaign Farm Bureau and the corn and soybean growers in Illinois, this is part of the USA corn belt, and they rely on rainwater not irrigation for crop growth.  

The weekend before I arrived, they finally had some rain. Before this the crops were looking dry and the corn was starting to curl. 

The farms here have grown significantly in size over the last decade which has happened in line with increasing machinery size. They have much larger machinery here than New Zealand because the landscape is so flat. They can get 18m wide heads on their combines. 

The day ended with a BBQ put on by the Farm Bureau. Thirty local farmers took part at an unused grain elevator. The Farm Bureau then announced some funding they had received from the federal government to improve rural broadband and to encourage more use of cover crops. 

Thank you to everyone who made me feel so welcome here!  

Fair Oaks, Indiana.

Mid July 2022

Today filled me with lots of hope. I went to Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana where they are doing a fantastic job educating the public on where our food comes from.

They have three farming systems they teach the public, a dairy farm, a piggery, and crop farming.

The dairy operation was both conventional and robotic milking. They milk 2800 cows in one facility, split between a 72-bale rotary (that operates 24 hours a day) and robotics. With the milking robots they have 12 robots milking 800 cows.

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_0008_LD Wisconsin Madison fields

Madison, Wisconsin.

Late July 2022

I met a great leader today; someone I truly look up to. Dr Molly Jahn is a Programme Manager in the Defence Sciences Office at DARPA. Previously she was Under Secretary of Research, Education and Economics at the USDA. 

Her work at DARPA looks at the wider risks and opportunities in the global food system. I got to spend three hours with Molly and her husband discussing the food system. They also took me on a tour around the Wisconsin area and explained the diversity of the food system there. 

This was a real honour for me and shows the doors that the Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarship can open. 

_0001_Dr Jacqueline Applegate - President of Bayer Crop Science
_0000_Bayer

St. Louis, Missouri

Second half July 2022

The last few days have been full of fantastic conversations around the food system. From the potential of GMO crops to continue to feed our world, to speaking with Dr Jacqueline Applegate, President of Bayer Crop Science North America, about the climate change weather patterns we are currently experiencing. And finally, on to conversations around building more resilience in our food system with senior professors from the University of Illinois.

The University of Illinois is a leading agriculture university and is heavily involved in supporting the agriculture community with new research. Their Farmdoc website is used to share information, resources and tools with farmers.

Next stop – Texas.

Thank you Rural Leaders, their partners, and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) for making this all possible!

Lucie discusses her Nuffield study with 2021 UK Scholar, Chris Manley.

Posted about five days ago by Chris Manley, 2021 UK Scholar. 

Data Interoperability – struggling to get systems to work together? Not sure how to analyse and make the most of your data? What is the value of your data? 

Thank goodness my fellow Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust Scholar Lucie Douma from Nuffield New Zealand is travelling the world to bring some clarity to some of these questions. 

I was delighted to catch up with Lucie to hear how the research is going and to hear her views on leadership.

Nine tips to nailing your Nuffield application. 

1. Identify Nuffield’s goals.

As simple as it sounds, applicants often don’t fully understand what the broader goals and objectives of Nuffield are.  

If your application is written with consideration to ‘giving back’ for example, this will go some way to increasing your chances of gaining an interview. 

2. Get your Nuffield referees sorted soon.

There’s still time to get your three referees locked in. This is something that often needs a little time, so if you don’t have three lined up yet, make it a priority. 

3. Include what you’ve done for your rural community or assisting others.

Tell us about it. We’re often surprised to learn of the above and beyond participation some applicants have done without mention in their application.  

Have you served on any boards, committees, in any community organisations? Any rural groups, or in any voluntary capacity? Have you written any articles?

Dig, think, tell us. 

4. Keep an eye on the close date – 17 August.

For some reason time seems to be getting away on us all at the moment. This next few weeks will be no different. Take five minutes to plan your approach to applying.  

Start planning what needs to be done and by when. Aim to finish on Friday 15 August – or sooner. 

5. Get in touch with our Programmes Manager.

Our Programmes Manager can help you through any queries you may have. she’s within earshot of CEO Lisa Rogers, so you get Lisa’s 8+ years’ experience as well.

We just asked Lisa for a gem, and she said, 

“Be very explicit about what being awarded a Nuffield Scholarship will allow you to do for the sector, not necessarily what it will do for you.” 

Who knows, five minutes on the phone with the Rural Leaders Team, or a quick email, might be the difference.

6. Focus on your strengths.

Find ways to both answer the questions accurately and get your ace cards down. 

An average application isn’t necessarily a badly written one, however, it is definitely one that doesn’t get across how suited you are to being a Nuffield Scholar. That said, you might want to pay attention to this next tip for a well written application.

7. Check your application.

Spell check. Grammar check. Read check – how does your answer sound when read aloud?

Check the questions. Check your answers. You get the idea.  

8. Read a few back issues of the Rural Leader.

Not as strange as it sounds. The Rural Leader has much information entwined throughout  that may spark topical responses to application, and potentially, interview questions.  

Of note are the Ideas That Grow podcasts and Alumni in the Spotlight articles. School up – read the Rural Leader. 

9. If you know a Nuffielder, get in touch with them.

As Kate Scott, 2018 Nuffield Scholar, said of the Nuffield Alumni, (they are) ‘A network open to you picking up the phone or flicking them and email’.  

Kate may have been talking about being part of the Alumni, but if you know, or know of, a Nuffielder, reach out and ask their advice.  

Good luck with your application. 

Kellogg Rural Scholar Series: ‘Dairy Insights’.

Here’s an introduction from Rural Leaders CEO Chris Parsons, on the new Dairy Insights report.

Dairy Insights - Kellogg Reports

New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is full of capable, and purpose driven people. Supported by DairyNZ, Livestock Improvement Corporation and an incredible group of partners, the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust is privileged to be entrusted with growing many of these people in their leadership journey.

A key aspect of the rural leadership approach is research-based scholarship. The clarity of thought and confidence this approach promotes is transformative. 

The set of reports précised in this edition are penned by Scholars from the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme. The Kellogg programme has been equipping rural leaders for strategic impact since 1970. The selection of reports is just a sample of reports by Scholars from the Dairy Industry.  

They grapple with the big issues facing New Zealand Dairy and are written by people living and working in the Sector. Many Kellogg and Nuffield Scholars go on to live their research. They build businesses. They advance community and social enterprises. They influence policy and advocate for animal and environmental outcomes, informed by an ability for critical analysis and their own research-fuelled passion. Rural Scholarship is about impact.  

In the following pages we are pleased to précis 14 dairy research reports by Kellogg Scholars. The full reports can be found at https://ruralleaders.co.nz/kellogg-our-insights

The reports traverse topics as wide and timely as innovation, markets, people, sustainability and social issues.  

Ngā mihi,  
Chris Parsons

and the NZ Rural Leaders Team 

Download report

Download and read the full report here:

Kellogg Rural Scholar Series: ‘Dairy Insights’.

More issues from the seriess

Kellogg Rural Scholars Series: Horticultural Insights

Kellogg Rural Scholars Series: Horticultural Insights

Read More →

Kellogg Rural Scholar Series: ‘Dairy Insights’.

Read More →

Leading in uncertain times.

For New Zealand’s food and fibre leaders, championing change is rewarding and meaningful work. Though these are complex times, where driving a purpose across diverse stakeholders, motivations and attitudes can mean these rewards come at a price.

Increasingly leaders are feeling overwhelmed – with a lot coming at them. They run businesses, sometimes volunteering in their community as well. They wear multiple hats, face multiple responsibilities and all too often burnout lurks behind the next deadline.

To nurture New Zealand’s food and fibre leaders, the Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) is delivering a new programme with a leadership focus, offering the support they need for an uncertain and stressful environment.

‘Know your Mindset. Lead what Matters’ is a short, online programme aimed at grass-roots leaders of change, behind and straddling the farm gate. It’s for both women and men driving change – helping them to manage multiple pressures, calmly and clearly.

Adapted from AWDT’s successful ‘Know your Mindset. Do what Matters’, it aims to understand leaders’ struggles and give them proven, usable tools and techniques to do the same with their teams.

The antidote to tricky times.

Leading is often a lonely place. This new programme connects farmers, growers, rural professionals, and funders across the sector to face common leadership wellbeing issues together.

It’s in this same spirit that AWDT and the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust (Rural Leaders) have come together as well. Along with the programme’s other partners MPI and Farmstrong, both Trusts are sharing ideas to help grow resilience in leaders today – and tomorrow.

Lisa Sims, AWDT, and Chris Parsons, Rural Leaders, talked recently about the programme and the context it lives in.

What to expect from ‘Know your Mindset. Lead what Matters’.

In a time of mounting pressure for rural New Zealanders, participants will learn how stress affects their ability to plan and act effectively as a leader. They gain practical tools to listen for signs of stress in teams or rural communities. They learn how to respond to them and lead them through change.

Running across two evenings, ‘Know your Mindset. Lead what Matters’ is presented by a registered Clinical Psychologist and Chartered Organisational Psychologist, alongside AWDT facilitators who work in breakout spaces where participants share stories and support each other. It’s a heavy-hitting line-up of presenters and one with a deep rural knowledge.

Creating a strong base from which to lead. 

The programme explores the impact that uncertainty, disruption, and change might have on thinking and behaviour. Participants build on this and develop a shared understanding of how to talk with and support others.

Time is also spent identifying traps for leaders along with learning to use tools to navigate working with people, stress, and emotions.

Participants round out the programme by gaining clarity about the positive changes they can make with their own leadership and building a realistic action plan to make those changes happen.

When, where, and how much does it cost?

The first ‘Know your Mindset. Lead what Matters’ programme is set for:

30 June, 7pm-8.30pm and 7 July, 7pm-9pm.

It is delivered online via Zoom and will cost $45 + GST per person.

To register for this timely programme head to https://www.awdt.org.nz/programmes/know-your-mindset-lead-what-matters/

Lucie Douma: Entering an unknown future – 2022 Nuffield CSC – Norfolk, United Kingdom

Lucie Douma, 2022 Nuffield New Zealand Scholar

Lucie Douma

2022 Nuffield Scholar

I was lucky enough to be at the first Contemporary Scholars Conference (CSC) to take place as the world is starting to see out the other side of the Covid pandemic. It was quite surreal to be with two-years’ worth of scholars (roughly 140 people) from 15 countries, all in one place for eight days. Considering most of us have not travelled for more than two years it was a bit of re-learning how to travel and manage the new ‘Covid’ rules. But it felt normal again. This feeling couldn’t be bet.

The feeling of returning to normality comes with a number of new challenges. These global challenges affect all of our agriculture systems and our farmers. The challenges we are facing are:

  • Two weeks before the CSC took place, Russia invaded the Ukraine.
  • Dealing with the aftermath of the world being shutdown for two years from Covid, and the damage this has caused to our respective supply chains.
  • The implementation of Brexit and creation of new Free Trade Agreements with countries.

These large challenges were common themes to all of our discussions during the conference.

How do we navigate this new world from Norfolk?

We also spent a significant amount of time at the Norwich Research Park which is home to pioneering research and solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges including; food shortages, an ageing population and climate change. The perfect place for us! Here we tackled some big questions from potential meat free days to water shortage.

Innovation in agriculture in Norfolk can be seen at the Food Enterprise Park where Fischer Farms has begun work on a £25m project to build the world’s largest vertical farm. The vertical farm will be 25,000sqm of stacked growing space for salad leaves, herbs and other fresh produce for supermarkets.

Fischer Farms claims they will be able to produce the same amount of food in its four-acre building as would be possible on 1,000 acres of conventional British farmland. What does this mean for conventional British farming? The question becomes, is there room for both and how do they co-exist? This is what Tristan Fischer (CEO of Fischer Farms) tasked us with designing a solution for.

Tristan Fischer, CEO of Fischer Farms

Learning from other scholars

I greatly valued learning from the other scholars on the challenges they face in their countries with agriculture. It was heartening to hear that we face similar challenges. However, having read through other Nuffield reports these challenges were already recognised 5-10 years ago.

One example is the vegan movement, which is getting worse and there is now a greater level of activism amongst vegan and environmental groups who appear to have coalesced in some areas (including the UK).

If this is a sign to come, then in New Zealand we really need to be thinking how we can reduce our rural-urban divide. How do we encourage more participation in our agriculture sector? Is there a role for data here? This will lead me through to the rest of my research on data interoperability and the value of data.

Thank you to Rural Leaders and all those who support Nuffield for enabling us to travel to Norfolk and come together as a global community to address some of our big challenges in the sector. The experience and what I have taken out of it is invaluable, including all the new friends I have made.

Ngā mihi nui.