Rural Leaders Reports
Eva Harris
Water quality issues in New Zealand have become a top political issue, with the public demanding action be taken against the agriculture sector to ensure our rivers and lakes are returned to a “swimmable” state. Numerous policies and plans have been developed throughout the country to address these issues, with many regional councils creating rules … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Anna Moore
Infectious Bovine Keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) commonly known as Pinkeye in cattle is a long established animal health problem in New Zealand. Pinkeye is a painful and debilitating condition that can severely affect animal productivity. It is a bacterial infection of the eye that causes inflammation and in severe cases temporary or permanent blindness. Most cattle producers … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Grant McNaughton
With a national sheep flock that has halved in size over the past 25 years, yet maintained output the Sheep and Beef sector is bursting with innovators and top producers, full of passion and enthusiasm to improve profitability. A cornerstone that drives the profitability beyond the farm gate is the consumer’s decisions on what, when, … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Wilma Foster
This project aims to assess what DairyNZ can do to improve the way it learns from other organisations. Thirteen interviews were carried out, seven with people from DairyNZ and six from organisations related to the kiwifruit industry (HortNZ, KVH, NZKGI, Zespri). The interviews were transcribed and then analysed. The key findings below are supported by … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
George Strachan
The future of the New Zealand Primary industries will rely on its ability to remain agile in the face of ever increasing change. Equally for success to be realised there is a call for the industry to know; where its current position is (and launch from this); how it lifts the level of innovation; increases … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Jason Rolfe
New Zealand exported a total of $37 billion in agri-food products in 2015 – yet KPMG (2016) estimates those same products ultimately generated more than $0.25 trillion dollars in retail sales when sold to consumers around the world. The challenge was how we forge new pathways that will help us capture more share of the … Read more
- 2018
- Nuffield 2017
Mat Hocken
The genesis for my Nuffield Scholarship research was a sense that farmers and growers have a number of significant challenges or problems, both on-farm and off that have not been solved, or we are struggling to solve. As we milk, shear, tend and harvest, thousands of farmer and grower-minds around the country turn to these … Read more
- 2018
- Nuffield 2017
Rebecca Hyde
- 2018
- Nuffield 2017
Ryan O’Sullivan
The NZ dairy industry has always historically enjoyed the advantage of being the world’s lowest cost producer of milk with our cheap pasture feed resource being the envy of the dairy industry globally. Despite this, farmers in the Europe and the US, the worlds 2nd and third largest exporters are eyeing opportunities for growth to … Read more
- 2018
- Nuffield 2017
Belinda Cridge
This work is designed as a short introduction to common poisons found around New Zealand farms. It has been prepared to fulfill, in part, the requirement of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme. Toxicology is the study of poisons. You may have heard the old saying “the dose makes the poison”. This means that actually, everything … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Oliver Knowles
The growing trend in precision farming (PF) comprises technologies that combine sensors, information systems, enhanced machinery, and informed management to optimise production by accounting for variability and uncertainties within agricultural systems. Adapting production inputs site-specifically within paddocks and individually for each animal enabling better use of resources to maintain and improve the quality of the … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Sophia Clark
50/50 Sharemilking as a path to farm ownership is a tried and true journey in the NZ Dairy Industry. Often, sharemilkers have to grow their herds quickly over a short period of time. For example, moving from a 270 cow farm up to a 500 cow farm. A sharemilker’s herd is their biggest and most … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Cam Henderson
Dairy farmers are being encouraged to tell their story by leaders in the New Zealand dairy industry. This study surveyed opinions from fifteen New Zealand dairy industry and media leaders and discovered a need to share good stories with other farmers to improve uptake of on farm practice, with the general public to improve the … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Joanna Greaves
Enthusiasm and passion for the Primary Industry, and it’s people, ignited an aspiration to understand how the Primary Sector is going to boost human capability to achieve it’s ambitions of doubling export earnings by 2025. Seismic market movements, international politics, technological advances and climate change all contribute to an unsettled and fickle business environment. Increasing … Read more
- 2017
- Kellogg 35
Anna Nelson
Farming livestock in New Zealand is becoming increasingly exposed to global and national economic, social, environmental and regulatory trends. Going forward there is increasing pressure from the public and consumers to preserve or ideally improve soil health, water quality and biodiversity, while ensuring that the food we produce is safe and nutritious, animals are treated … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 34
Shirley Kissick
“It’s time I got out of the cowshed. What is the best way to do this?”Questions similar to this have often come up in my conversations with farmers. The information available tends to be fragmented, focuses on processes and procedures, and more often refers to family succession. While this information is relevant, more targeted information … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 34
Anthony Pangborn
The motivation to research what it takes to be a great employer in 2016? stems from the author’s 10-year involvement in the kiwifruit post-harvest sector and an acknowledgment that a number of forces both globally and within the kiwifruit industry have reshaped the employment landscape during this time. The author’s opinion is that the kiwifruit … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 34
Katherine Gillespie
The aim of this research was to explore ways to strengthen rural communities in New Zealand. The research focuses on the three small rural communities of Kimbolton, Apiti and Rangiwahia, all located in the northern Manawatu. Six households were chosen from each community and invited to participate in the project. The participants were given a … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 34
Tim Van De Molen
As a relatively new asparagus grower, in the Waikato region of New Zealand, I am interested in exploring opportunities within this industry. The harvesting costs in an asparagus business are a significant portion of the total expenditure, so any efficiency gains would provide a direct contribution to profitability. There are currently several different methods for … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 34
Nathan Nelson
Why is family succession planning an issue we should be concerned about? It comes back to the word family. Family succession planning within the agricultural landscape conquers within, an emotional connection to the land and a cultural identity within New Zealand. There have always been family businesses running farms and there appears to be a … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 33
Natasha Clarke-Nathan
- 2016
- Kellogg 34
Stuart Taylor
When looking at people and culture, it is difficult to use traditional academic processes to understand how we see the world, and how we think and feel. This is because the influences on humans tend to be more around emotions, rather than logic. Traditional academic process has been around logic or critical thinking, and this … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 33
Penny Smart
Aoroa Farms Trust sees organics as a Get Out of Jail Card! This report was written to enable two decisions to be made: Whether or not Aoroa Farms Trust remain a conventional dairy farm or convertto becoming an organic dairy farm. If the decision is to convert do they supply Fonterra Coop or Organic Dairy … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 33
Nicole Oliver
The coarse wool industry has been described as being in a state of malaise by the existing literature and industry experts. Back in 1981 Prime Minister David Lange infamously boasted that agriculture was a sunset industry (Federated Farmers, 2014). At the time this was challenged by industry sector leaders as being false. However, whilst undertaking … Read more
- 2016
- Kellogg 33