Media Release, Tuesday, 5th November 2019
Waikato based, Dairy Environment Leader, Dairy Farmer and recently appointed Dairy NZ board member, Tracy Brown is one of five scholars from across industry sectors awarded a Nuffield NZ Scholarship. The scholarships were announced on Tuesday, 5th November at parliament by Hon Stuart Nash, Minister of Police, Fisheries, Revenue, and Small Business.
Alongside Tracy Brown, the recipients of Nuffield NZ Farming Scholarships for 2020 are Shannon Harnett, Whakatane based Agriculture and Horticulture Director; Waikato based Phil Weir, Dry Stock Farmer and Agri business Consultant; Southland based Edward Pinckney, director/owner of a dairy farm and sheep, beef and grazing farm, Marlborough based Ben McLauchlan, owner of a 102 H vineyard and 30 H beef finishing unit in Rapaura.
The Nuffield Scholarships with the three core components provide new Scholars with an opportunity to travel abroad in groups and individually and study the latest developments in a number of leading agricultural countries.
“The reputation and prestige of a Nuffield Scholarship opens the doors for new Scholars to access international businesses like Amazon, John Deere and Blue Apron – businesses that are behind and beyond the farm gate. No other programme can offer this type of access to these globally recognised companies” says Nuffield NZ Chairman Andrew Watters.
Ms Brown who is a champion for sustainability, and has been leading environmental change in the dairy industry for nearly a decade sees the Scholarship as an opportunity to gain insight into the policies and processes other countries are using to create positive environmental change.
“While I have been active in the NZ environmental space, this experience will enable me to gain the international networks and experience that will add to my effectiveness in the roles I have or will have in the future” says Ms Brown.
The five new scholars will join more than 160 Nuffield alumni who have been awarded Nuffield Scholarships over the past 70 years. The 2020 research topics are likely to cover issues such as – Understanding the international policies and processes that have created positive environmental change; How Plant Variety Rights provide growers the opportunity to successfully develop new business internationally; Exploration of the NZ primary sector to determine if there are fundamental barriers restricting collaboration; developing and growing our young people entering the agricultural sector; Enhancing the sustainability of Viticulture by lessening its reliance on scarce resources.
