June 2022
Welcome to the June issue of the Rural Leader.
Many Nuffield Scholars will have heard about the passing of John Hopkins, a 1979 Nuffield Scholar. John and wife Elaine gave generously to the Nuffield Programme in recent years. A successful dairy farmer who had strong connections to industry, John had given his time freely as a referee and supporter to Scholars seeking to join the Programme. Our thoughts go to Elaine and family at this sad time.
In our podcast, Ideas That Grow, we hear from Hamish Murray, a 2019 Nuffield Scholar who runs Bluff Station in Marlborough. Hamish has used adversity and his Nuffield Scholarship study to better understand and implement the attributes of successful teams. He shares some of his story.
A big thank you to the Nuffield Alumni who responded to our call for endorsements of the talented, potential Nuffielders they know. It would be difficult for us to reach many of the people put forward without you.
It’s not too late to let us know about anyone you’d like to see receive a Nuffield Scholarship at some point in the future.
Our 2020 and 2021 Nuffield Scholars have been busy, recently submitting their final research reports. There are eight reports we are pleased to be able to share.
Phase one of the 48th Kellogg Programme got underway last week at Lincoln. This industry-diverse cohort has been hearing from world-leading speakers and facilitators over the last two weeks. They also dealt fearlessly to the high-ropes over Matariki weekend – it’s a Kellogg staple. In this Rural Leader we share some of what they’ll be doing in Wellington on their Phase Two.
Alumni in the Spotlight this month covers two recent Kelloggers, Sam Mander and Jack Cocks. Both have just been published. Jack wrote for the NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management’s ‘The Journal’. He unpacked how ‘purpose, connection and well-being’ facilitate farmer resilience.
Sam’s article for REINZ’s ‘Real Estate’ publication looked at how to identify the indigenous carbon opportunity. It’s a great read for anyone wanting to get to grips with how it works.
We’re moving the Value Chain Innovation Programme once more. All we can say is sorry to those who were planning to do the September date. We assure you the final November programme will be worth the wait.
Our friends at Agri-women’s Development Trust are running two programmes called Know Your Mind. Lead What Matters. Programme one is underway, and places are filling up for programme two. This is a must-do for those looking to build resilience and leadership know-how in these challenging times.
Rural Leaders were pleased to see many familiar faces and meet a few new people too at the inspiring E-Tipu Agri-summit in Christchurch. There’s too much to review – and many others have done a great job of talking to the highlights, so all we’ll say is, if you didn’t make it this year, lock it in for 2023.
A bottle of Cardrona Distillery’s ‘The Source’ gin will soon level-up the drink’s trolley of one lucky member of the ‘NZ Rural Leaders Alumni’ private Facebook group. Is it you? Read on to find out.
Stay well, and we hope you enjoy this issue of The Rural Leader.
The Team at Rural Leaders.
Ideas that grow podcast.
Hamish Murray: Building stronger teams by getting out of the way.
Hamish Murray, 2019 Nuffield Scholar talks to Farmers Weekly about how adversity and getting out of the way has helped both him and his team grow.
A drought and an earthquake shook Hamish’s world and together with family support and insights garnered from his Nuffield study, he has been able to reimagine work – in part by getting out of the way. Have a listen to Hamish talk to Bryan Gibson from Farmers Weekly in this month’s podcast.
Kellogg Rural Scholar Series second edition –
Dairy Insights.
‘Dairy Insights’ is the second report in our Kellogg Rural Scholars Series. It is comprised of curated reports from Kellogg Scholars covering a range of dairy industry topics including, ‘Corporate social responsibility in dairy farming’ and ‘Climate change and farm diversification’.
Rural Leaders CEO Chris Parsons introduces this new report.
Kellogg Phase Two – what does it look like?
One of the highlights of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme is the Wellington based, Phase Two. The week is delivered in a specific order designed to reveal the political and economic context carefully, each step building on the last.
In this article (more of a schedule really) we look at how Phase Two will flow for Scholars on their upcoming Wellington chapter. Details and speakers are subject to change.
Read ‘Kellogg Phase Two – what does it look like?’
Applications are open for 2023’s January and June intakes at Lincoln.
Check out the key dates for Kellogg in 2023.
Kellogg Programme One, Lincoln: 24 January – 7 July 2023.
Applications close: Sunday, 30 October 2022.
Kellogg Programme Two, Lincoln: 13 June – 30 November 2023.
Applications close: Sunday, 16 April 2023.
The 2023 Nuffield Scholarships application campaign.
With six weeks to go in the search for 2023’s Nuffield Scholars, we’re looking for more of our bold, grounded and community-minded leaders – like those pictured above.
If you, or someone you know, is considering applying – now’s a good time to get referees lined up. This tends to work best when they’re given more than 24 hours’ notice.
Referees are just one piece of any application. We trotted this out last year, but here’s a simple and hopefully useful article on getting your application started, fleshed out, and completed.
The nowhere-near complete guide to writing your Nuffield Scholarship application.
And to all of our Alumni reading – here’s how you can help us find the talented leaders out there.
A quick run-down of our 2022 Scholars’ upcoming Nuffield travel.
One returns and another leaves. It’s revolving doors at Nuffield 2022 HQ. Here’s a summary of the Scholars’ upcoming travel.
Lucie Douma.
Lucie left for North America today and is visiting several locations as she gathers 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.
1 – 10 July – California
11 – 20 July – Illinois, Wisconsin, St Louis
20 – 27 July – Texas
27 July – 2 August – Washington DC
2 – 8 August – Saskatchewan
8 – 9 August – Yukon, US
You can keep up with Lucie’s travels on her LinkedIn page.
Parmindar Singh.
Parmindar has just returned from South America as she works on her topic Exploring Trade and Market Opportunities for New Zealand Dairy. We’ll relay some of what she discovered in next month’s issue.
Anthony Taueki.
Anthony heads to Hawaii in August and mainland US (Navajo Nation) in December as he dives deeper into his topic, Pathways into primary industries from the grassroots up.
Eight research reports from 2020's and 2021’s Nuffield Scholars.
Take a little time to read some (or all) of our 2020 and 2021 Nuffield Scholars’ final research reports. Their work covers topics from ‘changing consumer expectations’ to ‘structural change to New Zealand Agriculture’ and from ‘agricultural science and innovation’ to ‘environmental regulation’.
Pencil the week from 24 March 2023!
Pencil-in Friday 24 March 2023. That’s day one of the Triennial and it runs through to week beginning 3 April.
The One-Day Summit is scheduled for Monday 27 March.
Bookings will be available from October.
The Value Chain Innovation Programme – new November date.
The Value Chain Innovation Programme is moving once more. We apologise to those who were planning to do the September date and for any inconvenience.
Phase One – start of November 2022
Phase Two – 13-25 November 2022
Phase Three – report due date – TBA.
We assure you the final November programme will be worth the wait.
More details on the programme can be found here.
Alumni in the spotlight
Sam Mander 2022 Kellogg Scholar, Jack Cocks 2021 Kellogg Scholar and Corrigan Sowman 2019 Nuffield Scholar
Kelloggers are increasingly driving their thinking through many sector media channels – it’s been great to see. In this month’s Alumni in the Spotlight, we’re highlighting two recent examples. There’s also content from Corrigan Sowman, 2019 Nuffield Scholar, from his interview with Farmstrong.
Sam Mander was recently published in REINZ’s ‘Real Estate’ magazine. His article set out to debunk the myth that carbon sequestration is too hard and too expensive compared to exotics. Sam also clarifies how to see the indigenous carbon opportunity.
Jack Cocks was also published over the last month. Jack’s article was for NZIPIM’s ‘The Journal’. Co-written with Resilient Organsiations Consultant, Joanne R. Stevenson, the article is a first step towards developing a simple, high-level model for how farmers might be more resilient personally and reveals three key strategies that facilitate farmer resilience.
And on a similar topic, Corrigan Sowman, 2019 Nuffield Scholar, recently spoke with Farmstrong about tackling the challenges and changes underway in agriculture.
Over the last few years Farmstrong have worked with several Kellogg and Nuffield Scholars like Corrigan, who have undertaken research on the psychological pressures and challenges across the sector. Farmstrong do an important job for the sector – so we’ll share more of their content in future issues of the Rural Leader.
Did I win the gin?
It makes a kind of beautiful, circular sense to offer the fruits of a Scholar’s labour as a prize to one lucky member of NZ Rural Leaders Alumni Private Facebook Group. Or as my colleague has just pointed out – the NZRLPFBG for short.
Alumna Desiree Reid, a 2010 Nuffield Scholar, makes incredible gin and whiskey from her Cardrona Distillery. We said we’d give a bottle of ‘The Source’ gin to someone last month just for being a member of the NZRLPFBG. Mad!
Congratulations to our winner and thanks for being a member of the NZRLPFBG. We’ll be in touch via email in the coming days.
For the other 1102 alumni who haven’t yet joined, please do, there’s more random acts of kindness planned, not to mention relevant sector updates and alumni events.
Did I win the gin?
Click here to find out!
Bay of Plenty networking event, 13 July.
On 13 July Rural Leaders are running an alumni event at Zespri International, 400 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui, 5:30 – 8pm.
It’s an opportunity for Bay of Plenty Alumni to connect with others in the region as peers or potential mentors/mentees.
You’ll hear Nuffield and Kellogg Scholars talking about their journey and how the programme has impacted their life and their work.
Bring along a guest you think might want to participate in a Nuffield, Kellogg, or the Value Chain Innovation Programme too if you wish. Snacks, drinks, and good banter included.
Nelson networking event, 27 July.
On 27 July Rural Leaders are running an alumni networking event at The Boathouse, 326 Wakefield Quay, Nelson, from 5:30 to 8pm.
FMG Young Farmer of the Year –
Grand Final time.
It’s getting close. This coming Thursday, Friday and Saturday (July 7-9), sees seven Grand Finalists go head-to-head after having won their local district contests and their regional finals.
We’ll be at the Grand Final Awards evening on the Saturday. Rural Leaders are also delighted to be offering the winner a free placement on The Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.
Earlier that day we’re also hosting a Rural Leaders/Agmardt brunch.
The brunch will include a panel discussion on leadership with speakers Andy Morits, 2021 Kellogger, our CEO Chris Parsons, Dr. Ellen Nelson – public speaker and leading campaigner for ‘work school hours’. Tickets to our brunch are already sold out.
Dairy Women’s Network Expo ‘Today’s calf, tomorrow’s cow’ Expo, July 5, Ashburton.
Proper care and nutrition for today’s calves can set tomorrow’s cows up for a lifetime of high performance. Feel prepared and ready for the calf rearing season as Natalie Hughes (SealesWinslow) and Natalie Chrystal (AgriVantage) take attendees through best practice to maximise calves’ potential right from Day 1.
Check out this link for more information on where and how to register for tickets.
Leadership opportunities
DairyNZ Head of Science - Hamilton
Leading teams with serious talent, this role reports to the GM and is a key contributor to the implementation of DairyNZ’s strategy.
You’ll have an eye on the future and how our science delivers into it.
MPI Senior Advisor Plant Products Imports – Wellington
The role is responsible for managing the biosecurity risk to New Zealand by developing import requirements and assessing permit applications. The Plant Products team deals with the import of grains, animal feeds, laboratory specimens, processed plant commodities as well as setting facility standards for New Zealand
FMG Finance Business Partner – Wellington
Far from the traditional management accountant role of delivering black and white answers, we’re looking for someone who can provide a well-rounded contribution through identifying risks and opportunities and challenging conventional thinking.
Send us your feedback.
We’d like to know what you think of the Rural Leader and of you have any ideas on how we could improve it.
Call to all scholars: Update your details.
It’s important for us to keep your contact and other details up to date. Please take a few minutes to fill out our form by clicking on the relevant logo below. This information will not be used outside of our organisation without your permission. Thank you.
We’re looking for your top shots.
You can probably spot a stock image a mile away, right? We think there’s nothing better than the authentic photos you’ve taken – to celebrate our sector. Especially the good ones. We’re after the shots you’re happy to share with us of your primary sector experiences, here or abroad.
These could be on-farm, from businesses across the value chain, or any shot you think exemplifies the primary sector, its people, and its many textures.
This isn’t a competition. Quite honestly, we just need more imagery. Can you help us out? Here’s a few shots others have shared with us recently.
Fire shots (at least 1mb file size) through to denitsastoeva@ruralleaders.co.nz
Our programmes work in partnership with some of New Zealand’s leading agribusiness organisations – click here for more.
