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Hi there,
Welcome to this edition of The Rural Leader.
Shortly after our last edition, we heard sad news of the passing of Morris McFall (Nuffield 1970). Our thoughts go out to this accomplished Nuffielder’s family and friends.
You can read more about Morris and his passing in our June post here.
Earlier this month, our 2026 Kellogg Programme One cohort (K55) graduated after presenting their research reports to fellow scholars, industry representatives, partners and whānau.
In this edition, we're pleased to share their research, along with the ten key themes that emerged across all 20 reports. One recurring insight? Trust continues to be a defining theme.
The graduation of K55 followed Phase One of Kellogg Programme Two (K56) at Lincoln University. This diverse and inspiring group of rural leaders from across New Zealand has now begun its leadership journey and will reunite in Wellington this September.
Rural Leaders CEO James Ryan has been with the organisation for less than a month but has already experienced both a Kellogg graduation and the start of a new programme.
"It's great to be on board with the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust. As I get my feet under the desk, I'm enjoying connecting with our programme participants, alumni and partners across the country.
A recent highlight was experiencing the positive energy within our Kellogg scholar cohort. I'm looking forward to seeing their leadership journeys continue to evolve."
Applications for 2027 Kellogg Programme One (K57) open in just over a week, and we encourage prospective scholars to apply early.
In this month's episode of the Ideas That Grow podcast, 2018 Nuffield Scholar Simon Cook joins Farmers Weekly Managing Editor and 2025 Kellogg Scholar Bryan Gibson.
Simon reflects on his journey from surviving PSA in the kiwifruit industry to sharing how Nuffield broadened his perspective, strengthened his leadership capability and reinforced the importance of preparing New Zealand's food and fibre sector for future challenges.
Applications for the 2027 Nuffield Scholarships are open until 23 August. If you're considering this life-changing opportunity, we encourage you to hear directly from recent scholars by watching the latest testimonials on our website.
Also in this edition, we update you on the Global Focus Programme journeys of our 2026 Nuffield Scholars Jared Clarke, Kelly Heckler, Clare Bradley and Tracey Perkins.
Our Alumni in the Spotlight section features updates from Sandra Faulkner, Jon Pemberton, Nick Pridgeon and other Rural Leaders programme alumni making an impact across the sector.
You'll also find the latest partner news, industry developments and leadership opportunities from across New Zealand's food and fibre sector.
We hope you enjoy this edition of The Rural Leader.
Ngā mihi,
The Rural Leaders Team
PODCAST
Beyond the orchard: Simon Cook on biosecurity, leadership and seeing the bigger picture.
From surviving PSA to studying biosecurity around the world, 2018 Nuffield Scholar Simon Cook shares how stepping beyond the farm gate broadened his perspective, strengthened his leadership, and reinforced the importance of preparing industries for tomorrow's challenges.
Listen on your favourite podcast player:
The research reports and collective insights from 2026 Kellogg Programme One.
Across diverse topics including artificial intelligence, succession, governance, animal welfare, food security, Māori agribusiness, workforce diversity, technology adoption and sustainability, a consistent message emerges from this Kellogg cohort:
The future competitiveness of New Zealand agriculture will not be determined by technology alone. It will be determined by the capability of people, the strength of relationships, the quality of leadership and the resilience of the systems that support them.
To take a look at the individual research reports and the collective insights of recently graduated 2026 Kellogg Programme One (K55), head to our article here.
2026 Nuffield Scholars update: Global Focus Programme.
We share an update from our four 2026 Nuffield Scholars, currently exploring Europe, Asia and Africa, gaining global perspectives on the future of food and fibre.
Their travels highlight the importance of innovation, resilient farming systems, supportive policy and strong international relationships. From renewable energy to regenerative agriculture, the GFP is broadening global perspectives while reinforcing that collaboration, adaptability and people remain central to agriculture's future.
Take a read of our short article (and top-line insights) here.
We have also included a few shots of their experiences so far.
From insight to impact: We're looking for our 2027 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholars.
They’re the grounded, innovative and curious rural leaders who are ready to grow both personally and professionally.
The Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarships are among the most highly regarded awards in New Zealand’s primary sector.
They provide a unique platform to discover new insights, develop foresight, grow influence, and make a positive impact across the food and fibre sector.
As a Nuffield Scholar, you'll join a network of motivated leaders who drive change and are committed to giving back to their communities, industries and the wider sector.
“If you're ready to be a little bit uncomfortable and challenged and step into Nuffield with the right frame of mind, you will have an absolutely life-changing experience.”
- Lisa Portas, 2025 Nuffield Scholar.
To learn more or apply, visit our Nuffield application page.
Applications close 23 August 2026.
Alumni in the Spotlight
In this Alumni in the Spotlight, we hear news from James Allen (2023 Nuffield), Kate Tomlinson (2026 Kellogg), Nick Pridgeon (current Kellogg), Jon Pemberton (2025 Nuffield), Sandra Faulkner (2012 Nuffield) and others.
You can read this edition of Alumni in the Spotlight here.
Jon Pemberton
(Nuffield 2025)
Jon featured in a Rural Life article on converting a neighbouring sheep farm to expand their Southland dairy platform into a simpler, more resilient system. More...
James Allen
(Nuffield 2023)
James appeared in a Rural News piece urging dairy farmers to budget feed for an average season rather than banking on last year's exceptional growing conditions. More...
Ed Pinckney
(Nuffield 2020)
Ed and Harriet appeared on Country Calendar in mid-June, profiling their work on Jericho sheep and beef station and Harriet's work on rural resilience and farm safety. More...
Sandra Faulkner
(Nuffield 2012)
Sandra, newly elected Federated Farmers Vice President, features in Rural News this week, calling for certainty for farmers and stronger rural input into government reforms. More...
Kate Tomlinson
(Kellogg 2026)
Kate spoke to Farmers Weekly's Bryan Gibson for our Ideas That Grow podcast, sharing her journey from a UK farm to New Zealand and her sustainability and data work with Map of Ag. More...
Nick Pridgeon
(current Kellogg)
Nick, a Bay of Plenty orchard manager with Pivot Hort, has joined the Kellogg programme on a Zespri scholarship, as featured in SunLive this week. More...
Jim van der Poel
(Nuffield 2002)
Jim was recognised at the Primary Industries New Zealand Awards, winning the Outstanding Contribution to NZ's Primary Industries Award. More...
If you have news about a new business venture, trip, award, or appointment you’d like to share with our audience, please get in touch with Matt Hampton, Marketing and Communications Manager at matthampton@ruralleaders.co.nz.
News from our partners
FMG - Otago Southland's Tom Slee crowned 2026 FMG Young Farmer of the Year
Dairy farmer Tom Slee claimed the title at the grand final in New Plymouth, fighting off six regional champions to bring the trophy back to Otago Southland for the first time since 2018. He's the third member of his family to win it. More...
DairyNZ - Three decades of nurturing the land
Long before habitat restoration became a buzzword in dairy, Wynn and Tracy Brown set about restoring their Matamata farm's environment. At a DairyNZ event earlier this year, the couple shared their 30-year journey of wetland and waterway restoration on Tiroroa Farms — work that's since seen native fish detected in a farm stream via eDNA testing. More...
HortNZ - Amber Davy wins 2026 Canterbury Young Grower title
Amber Davy, a quality and field manager for seed potato supplier Eurogrow, took out the Canterbury title against six other contestants at Lincoln University. Having "fallen into the industry by accident" after growing up on a sheep and beef farm near Taihape, she now heads to the national final in Cromwell in August. More...
B+LNZ - Southland farmers named New Zealand's sustainable farming ambassadors
Michelle and Tony Roberts built their Merino Downs farming business from the ground up, from sharemilking to owning a 269ha dual deer and dairy-grazing operation near Gore. They've been named winners of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy and 2026 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing. More...
Rabobank - Rabo Community Fund announces newest recipients
Seven rural organisations — including three community halls, two agri training providers, a health services centre and a community pool — have received a share of $60,000 from the Rabo Community Fund, taking the total committed to rural communities since 2021 to $4.1 million. More...
MPI - Celebrating New Zealand's native forest champs
Forestry Minister Todd McClay congratulated the winners of the 2026 Growing Native Forests Champions Awards at Fieldays, an MPI programme now in its second year. From 67 entries, standouts included a Tasman lifestyle blocker who rallied 450 volunteers to rewild a 17-hectare property, and Christchurch's Styx Living Laboratory Trust, which planted 230,000 trees restoring a local catchment. More...
Zespri - Nearly 15,000 athletes confirmed for AIMS Games
The Zespri AIMS Games has hit a record 14,506 entries for September's tournament in Tauranga, with 467 schools taking part including 11 international schools. Mountain biking led the surge, jumping from 487 to 654 riders, as Zespri marks its fifth year as naming rights sponsor. More...
LIC - Ōtorohanga couple halve mating workload by integrating farm technology
Donald and Nicky McGiven, who have farmed their 62-hectare Ōtorohanga property since the early 1990s, have cut their mating labour roughly in half by linking LIC's MINDA system with tools like CowManager and SenseHub. The integration has let the couple move away from natural-mating bulls entirely, helping keep their 170-cow herd manageable as they approach retirement age. More...
Farmlands - FECPAK and Farmlands partner to strengthen animal health and protect drench efficacy
Farmlands has signed an exclusive partnership with Techion's FECPAK diagnostics platform, giving farmers on-farm animal health testing through its nationwide network. The range includes a new "Worm ID" test that identifies parasite species within hours rather than the usual two weeks, helping farmers make sharper drenching decisions. More...
Industry news
Fonterra and Silver Fern Farms launch beef-on-dairy supply chain partnership
Fonterra and Silver Fern Farms have launched an integrated beef-on-dairy programme, helping dairy farmers breed higher-value beef calves from non-replacement matings to meet international customer demand. The initiative includes an approved sire list available through LIC, CRV and GENEZ, with branded ear tags rolling out next calving season to track premium animals through to processing. More...
Wools of NZ deepens China relationships as it seeks price stability
Wools of New Zealand is working to establish longer-term contracts with Chinese buyers after wool prices rose sharply over the past six months, following a visit by CEO John McWhirter and chair Richard Young to assess demand. The company has built an in-market team in Shanghai, now managing shipments not just to China but also India, Türkiye and Portugal. More...
Seafood safety researcher honoured at NZIFST Food Industry Awards
Dr Tim Harwood has received the 2026 Significant Contribution to Food Safety Award for his work developing detection methods for paralytic shellfish toxins, underpinning routine testing across New Zealand's $2 billion seafood industry. He's also worked with Māori communities to extend safety knowledge for customary seafood harvesting. More...
Leadership Opportunities
Rabobank - Head of Major Agribusiness Clients (MAC) NZ
Rabobank New Zealand is seeking a senior leader to head its Major Agribusiness Clients team. The role suits someone with strong commercial leadership, deep sector knowledge, and a passion for clients. Contact Bruce Weir or apply via LinkedIn. More...
Ravensdown Board - 2026 Director Elections
Nominations are open for two shareholder-elected directorships on the Ravensdown Board, closing 5pm Friday 24 July 2026. Retiring directors Mike Davey and Jane Montgomery have both indicated their intention to stand for re-election, with the co-operative also flagging interest in candidates bringing science, technology/cyber governance or manufacturing expertise. More...
Strategic partners:
Dairy NZ | FMG | Mackenzie Charitable Foundation
Programme partners:
Ministry for Primary Industries | Farmlands | HortNZ | Zespri | LIC | Rabobank | Beef+Lamb New Zealand
Academic partners:
Lincoln University | Massey University
Media and professional partners:
Farmers Weekly | CountryWide Media | PwC | Federated Farmers | Tavendale and Partners
Regional partners:
Whanganui & Partners | Whangarei A&P Society
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