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Apply for 2026 Nuffield NZ Farming Scholarship by 17 August 2025. More details...

2020

2020 Review and look ahead to 2021 with Chris Parsons & Lindy Nelson : Sarah’s Country Interview

Chris Parsons, CEO of Rural Leaders and Lindy Nelson, Founder of Agri-Women’s Development Trust joined Sarah Perriam on Sarah’s Country to talk about the year ahead and what to expect for 2021.

Sarah’s Country Interview : 16th December 2020

Click here to watch the full Sarah’s Country show on demand.

Listen to the podcast here:

Step up in 2021 – be part of the Kellogg Rural Leadership programme in Tai Tokerau!

Take the next step in your development and do the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme in Tai Tokerau in 2021.

Course dates: 4 May – 21 October  

APPLY NOW
Applications close on 31 January 2021

Click here for more information on the Kellogg Tai Tokerau Course

Chris Parsons Introduces 2021 Nuffield Scholars : Sarah’s Country Interview

In this interview on Sarah’s Country Chris Parsons, CEO of Rural Leaders introduces the 2021 Nuffield scholars and talks about how they will navigate their global research with covid-related travel restrictions.

Chris also touches on the 2020 Nuffield Scholar insights that were presented at the 2021 Nuffield Awards Ceremony, following the work the 2020 Scholars have been doing on the sector impacts of COVID-19.

Listen to the podcast here:

Click here to read the 2021 Nuffield Scholar bios.

Siobhan O’Malley and Wayne Langford – win Primary Industries ‘Champion Award’ 2020

Congratulations to two of our Kellogg Alumni – Siobhan O’Malley and Wayne Langford – who were the winners of the 2020 ‘Champion Award’ at the Primary Industries Awards on 23 November in Wellington. 

Siobhan and Wayne were selected as winners of this category for their outstanding efforts as Founders of their National Charity ‘Meat the Need.’

What is the Champion Award?

“The Champion Award is intended to enable the primary industries’ community to recognise the efforts of one of its own. This is an award for the grassroots unsung hero, the genuine ‘good bugger’ who has championed their rural community and their industry. The award goes to an individual who goes beyond their own farm or business, to help others with their own challenges either in times of extreme need or in times of daily necessity.” (Copy sourced from 
https://primaryindustries.co.nz/awards/categories).

The Primary Industries 2020 ‘Champion Award’ category is also sponsored by Rural Leader’s Service partner Federated Farmers.

Siobhan and Wayne are the Founders of ‘Meat the Need’ a national charity that supplies much needed meat to City Missions and food banks. The Meat is donated by farmers, processed, packed and delivered to those most in need.

Find out more about ‘Meat the Need’ and donate here.

2020 Nuffield Scholars Insights

Stories from the year of living precariously

Presented at the Nuffield 2021 Scholarship Awards Ceremony
3rd November 2020, Wellington

The Nuffield NZ 2020 Scholars have had conversations with food and fibre producing leaders about the impact of COVID-19 on the primary sector.

From these conversations our 2020 Scholars (Tracy Brown, Ben McLauchlan, Phil Weir, Edward Pinckney and Shannon Harnett) have worked together to deliver four collective insights around supply chains, innovation, people and strategies.

Watch the 2020 Scholars deliver their insights in the video below.

Introduction: Our year of living precariously (Tracy Brown)

Insight 1 : Supply chain resilience (Ben McLauchlan)

Insight 2 : The haves & have nots (Phil Weir)

Insight 3 : Fit for purpose leadership (Edward Pinckney)

Insight 4 : Adding value (Shannon Harnett)

Download the presentation document: NUFFIELD 2020: Stories from the year of living precariously

Tracy Brown

Tracy Brown

“Conversations with food and fibre producing leaders about the impact of COVID 19 has helped us gain insights and become critically reflective thinkers”

Nuffielders 2020

Our year of living precariously

For the first time, the New Zealand Nuffield Scholars have worked together to deliver collective insights.

The collaborative learning model focused on ‘Critical Reflective Practice’ providing significant insight and a framework for more focused individual efforts in 2021.

Greater opportunity to connect locally has been valuable and should be incorporated into future program delivery.

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Ben McLauchlan

Ben McLauchlan

“Resilience is the capacity of a system, enterprise, or person to maintain its core purpose and integrity in the face of dramatically changed circumstances.”

Andrew Zolli

Insight one: Proven supply chain resilience

The World Trade Organisation forecast that world merchandise trade would be reduced by between 13% and 32% in 2020 (WTO, April 2020).

  • NZ has been able to continue to trade goods, despite local and international challenges.
  • We have outpaced other export focused countries.
  • Our supply chains have been tested and found to be resilient.
  • The demand for our food has ensured prioritisation and flow of key imports.
  • The primary sector has been a vital lifeline in keeping the NZ economy intact and lessening the economic impact.

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Phil Weir

Phil Weir

“The threat of going hungry became real for many people for the first time in their lives”

KPMG, The ‘now’ normal’ future

Insight two: Growing disparity between the haves and have nots

We have all been affected by COVID-19. Some of us to greater or lesser extents. It has not just been the spread of the virus that has followed an exponential growth curve.
  • Technological innovation has quickened.
  • Increasing inequality between the haves and have nots.
  • The degree and obviousness of disparity raises significant risks to social license and export markets

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Edward Pinckney

Edward Pinckney

“Chaos is exhausting, structure and certainty keeps us sane”

Insight three: Challenges around fit for purpose leadership

Risk related to COVID-19 escalated rapidly. Previously it was not high (or even present) on the risk matrix for many businesses. Some leaders were caught out, “frozen with indecision,” unable to make decisions and move forward. Others excelled!

The following are attributes of great leadership in a crisis:

  • Communication to create certainty
  • Culture of experimentation
  • Creativity and agility
  • Values based

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Shannon Harnett

Shannon Harnett

“Lock down gave me time and space to evaluate my ideals around how I live. This was an opportunity I had not had in 30 years.”

Business owner

Insight four: Adding value by moving from value to values

The rise of the ‘Conscious Consumer’ is a growing trend and COVID 19 has accelerated this.

We need to further understand the drivers behind consumers preparedness to buy and consume sustainably grown, values-based produce.

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Horticulture NZ keen to work with new Government

‘In 2019, the New Zealand horticulture industry was worth more than $6.39 billion and has grown by 64% in the past ten years. That is thanks to industry innovation and grower investment in new varieties and growing techniques to stay ahead of international competition and respond to consumer preferences. This growth is also because the industry is a sustainable user of land.’

Barry O’Neil, HortNZ President

Horticulture New Zealand – which advocates for New Zealand’s 6000 plus fruit and vegetable growers – is keen to work with the new Government to ensure the industry can continue to grow and support New Zealand’s post-Covid economic and social recovery.

Link: https://www.hortnz.co.nz/news-events-and-media/media-releases/horticulture-new-zealand-keen-to-work-with-new-government/

NZ sheep & beef farms close to being carbon neutral

Beef +Lamb NZ recently released a significant new piece of independent research that shows the woody vegetation on New Zealand sheep and beef farms is offsetting between 63 percent and 118 percent of their on-farm agricultural emissions, meaning our farms are close to being carbon neutral.

Link to report: https://beeflambnz.com/net-carbon-report

“This research shows that of the remaining emissions, the vast majority are being offset by the trees on our farms and New Zealand sheep and beef farmers are well on the way to being carbon neutral by 2050."

Sam McIvor, CEO Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Kellogg Tai Tokerau Networking Event – 1st December 2020

Join us at the Kellogg Tai Tokerau Networking Event!

Tuesday, 1st December at 6.30pm

At the Orchard, 35 Walton St, Whangarei

Hear from our Northland Kelloggers – Paul Martin and Graeme Peter about their Kellogg experience. Network with other Kelloggers!

Explore how doing the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme in Tai Tokerau in 2021 can help you accelerate your career in the Food and Fibre Sector.

REGISTER HERE

Paul Martin, 2016 Kellogger

“The Kellogg programme has been a key part in my governance journey. I’ve developed a number of networks through the course. Those networks have supported me and inspired me to continue my growth both professionally and personally.”

Paul Martin

Paul is a self-employed Agribusiness Consultant working under the Headlands banner, with clients throughout the Northland region. In addition to his consultancy work Paul is involved in a number of governance roles within the Dairy Industry and Bee Industry. Locally, Paul is the President of the Whangarei Bee Club, and a Trustee of Reconnecting Northland.

Paul’s 2016 Kellogg research topic focused on ‘How New Zealand dairy farmers can thrive in the face of milk price volatility.’

Graeme Peter, 2020 Kellogger

“The connections and learnings I have gained from doing a Kellogg are incredible. I feel very privileged to be part of the course and in particular the calibre of my cohort.”

Graeme Peter

Graeme is the Regional Food Safety and Assurance Manager for Fonterra in Northland. He works with farmers in Northland on animal welfare, food safety and assurance claims on farm.

Graeme will graduate from the 2020 Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme at the end of November. His Kellogg research topic is ‘Corporate Social Responsibility of Aotearoa Dairy Farmers – the Current Situation and How We Win.’ This body of research focuses on the four pillars of corporate social responsibilities (economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic).

Graeme’s drive is to keep Aotearoa dairy farmers and their families as leaders on the world stage, in our farm systems and animal welfare. Graeme says “The Northland Dairy sector faces many challenges and my Kellogg project has helped me bring a wider New Zealand and international view to these issues and has also provided access to incredibly talented and informative people.”

Click here to find out more about the Kellogg Tai Tokerau Course.

Download the Kellogg Tai Tokerau information brochure.

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2021 Nuffield NZ Scholarships Awarded

2021 Nuffield Scholars

Photo from left to right: Lynsey Stratford, Daniel Eb, David Eade, Hon Minister Damien O’Connor, John Foley, Ben Anderson 

 

Media release, Tuesday, 3rd November 2020

The latest cohort of emerging leaders in New Zealand’s primary sector were awarded a 2021 Nuffield NZ Farming Scholarship at Parliament on 3rd November. The Scholarships were awarded by Hon Damien O’Connor, Minister of Agriculture, Biosecurity and Food Safety, Minister for Rural Communities and Minister of State for Trade and Export.

The 2021 Nuffield scholars are Ben Anderson, owner and manager of a dry stock farm in Hawkes Bay, David Eade, owner of a finishing block in Whanganui and GM of Apiary Solutions, Daniel Eb, Auckland based Communication Strategist, John Foley, Senior Seed Production Agronomist for PGG Wrightson Seeds in Christchurch and Lynsey Stratford, an equity partner in a 420 cow dairy farm in Curio Bay and Dairy Environment Leader with Dairy NZ.

Click here to read the 2021 Nuffield Scholar bios.

The travel programme for scholars next year will be different to previous years due to border closures resulting from COVID19.  Typically, the Nuffield Scholarship programme involves travel internationally for at least four months and participation in a Contemporary Scholars Conference with Nuffield Scholars from around the world. Followed by a six-week Global Focus Programme through several countries with other scholars. 

“Next year our scholars will start their programme with extensive national travel to gain greater insights and deeper understanding into New Zealand’s primary sector before embarking on any international travel” says Nuffield NZ Chairman, Andrew Watters.

“Although the programme will be delivered differently to previous years, it will offer scholars new opportunities and experiences, along with a global perspective whether or not scholars travel abroad” says Watters.

The five new Scholars will join more than 160 Nuffield alumni who have been awarded Nuffield Scholarships over the past 70 years. Their research topics are likely to cover a range of different agricultural issues such as climate change, fractional investing in agriculture, repositioning the role that farming plays in society, technology in agriculture around automation of roles and health, safety and wellbeing on farm.

Siobhan O’Malley & Wayne Langford – Meat the Need

In our last newsletter we featured the work Siobhan O’Malley and Wayne Langford have been doing with their new charitable venture ‘Meat the Need’. 

Tune in to this podcast where Siobhan and Wayne talk about how and why they got started on the ‘Meat the Need’ charity concept.

To find out more about Meat the Need charity or to donate click here: https://meattheneed.org/