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Hi there,
Welcome to this edition of the Rural Leader.
It’s been a big week for Rural Leaders. One of our key events for the year, the awarding of the 2026 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarships, took place in Parliament in front of many of our Investing Partners, as well as political and industry leaders.
Four new scholars received their awards from Hon Minister Todd McClay. The four new scholars are from Canterbury, Otago and the Bay of Plenty. They lead in industries including red meat, dairy and aquaculture.
We share more on the new scholars, their backgrounds, and intended research
areas.
In the Ideas That Grow podcast, Richard Green, a 2025 Value Chain Programme alum, shares his learning experience with the cohort and facilitators Prof Hamish Gow and Phil Morrison. Applications for the Value Chain Programme are open for just over two more weeks.
2025’s Kellogg Programme Two graduate on Thursday, 27 November. We’ll have K54’s research reports live on the Rural Leaders site not long after sharing these with our Investing Partners.
Kellogg Programme One 2026 is now full. This programme will be facilitated by Rural Leaders newest team member Renée Walker. We share an article on Renée’s farming background, as well as her work and values. We’re excited to have Renée join the team.
The Value Chain Innovation Programme is open for applications until 23 November. If you’re interested in joining this popular deep-dive into the apple, dairy and kiwifruit value chains (some red meat and technology too), listening to this month’s podcast is a worthwhile place to start.
Alumni in the Spotlight features news from our four new 2026 Nuffield Scholars, Erica van Reenen, and Dr Jordi Hoult.
You can catch up on News from our Partners, Industry, and a leadership opportunity with Growing Future Farmers.
We hope you enjoy this issue of The Rural Leader.
The Team at Rural Leaders.
2026 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholars announced.
Four Food and Fibre sector leaders were awarded 2026 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarships last night in Parliament.
The Awards ceremony was hosted by Hon Minister Todd McClay.
Kate Scott, Rural Leaders Chair, opened the Awards and gave a short speech acknowledging Nuffield’s 75th year in NZ, before introducing Minister McClay.
The 2026 Nuffield Scholars were announced by Minister McClay as:
Clare Bradley – CEO AgriSea, Bay of Plenty.
Jared Clarke – Farmer, Canterbury.
Kate Scott announced Jared as the recipient of the John Hopkins Scholarship Award. John Hopkins is a 1979 Nuffield Scholar who passed in 2022. John and his wife Elaine have given generously to Nuffield over the years. John’s son Andrew and granddaughter Chelsea attended the Awards.
Kelly Heckler – Farmer, Community Leader, Central Otago.
Tracey Perkins – Farmer, Sustainable Land and Water Management Advisor, Founder of AgriThrive.
Fresh from their award night, our Nuffield Scholars featured in a RNZ interview, listen here.
Introducing Renée Walker, Kellogg Programme Facilitator.
Renée Walker is the newly appointed Kellogg Programme facilitator. She is a seasoned leader with over 20 years’ executive experience in transformation, culture, and coaching and is deeply connected to New Zealand’s rural sector.
Renée champions people-centred, future-ready leadership. As director of The Leadership Revolutionist and Thrive For Life, she empowers leaders of all ages to lead with authenticity, courage, and curiosity.
On the appointment, Lisa Rogers, CEO Rural Leaders said, “Renée stood out with a level of leadership experience, connection, and a warm authenticity that was always going to be tough to beat. We’re delighted to have Renée join our team.”
Richard Green: Time to think differently about food and fibre value chains.
Richard discusses his Value Chain Innovation Programme experience in early 2025. He offers insight into why understanding value chains and value chain models is so important for anyone wanting to take advantage of the opportunities New Zealand Inc. and farming have to integrate our value chains and think globally.
Listen on your favourite podcast player:
Registrations are open for the 2026 Nuffield Biennial 2026 - Invercargill.
Open to Nuffield alumni and their partners, the Nuffield Biennial will explore cutting-edge ideas and emerging trends from across the sector.
Discuss, debate, and explore ideas while enjoying the very best of Southland’s local produce and hospitality.
This Biennial features a strong line-up of 2024 and 2025 Nuffield alumni ready to share their research experiences and insights. They’ll tackle some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing food and fibre today.
To register head to: https://www.eventcreate.com/e/nz26/.
2026 Nuffield International Triennial early bird registrations close soon.
Nuffield alumni can also register for the Nuffield Triennial, which runs 18 – 26 May, 2026. Delegates will embark on a journey across the Ireland, with visits to more than 50 farms, industry organisations, and cultural venues.
This Triennial will provide a unique opportunity for Nuffield alumni to connect, reconnect, explore, and be inspired alongside fellow Scholars.
Book now to secure your early bird registrations:
https://nuffield2026.com/registration/.
MyLead: Listen to stories from our sector.
One of the useful features of MyLead.co.nz is its industry leadership stories.
These industry stories give context to each of the leadership outcomes within the leadership development framework; a framework that underpins MyLead.
MyLead connects this framework to real-world action for leaders, with tools, stories, programmes, and pathways tailored to you.
One story example for the outcome 'Leaders are in tune with their feelings', tells of a farming leader who describes his ‘wake-up’ moment followed by a proactive journey of personal growth.
Generate your leadership pathway at MyLead.co.nz, and once you have, take a listen to the many short audio stories on offer.
You can also download our Press Release here. If your organisation would like to help us spread the word about MyLead, you’ll find some sharable assets at the end of the Press Release.
Alumni in the Spotlight
In Alumni in the Spotlight we feature Rural Leaders’ Programme Alumni who have recently been in the news - or have news to share.
Clare Bradley, Jared Clarke, Kelly Heckler, Tracey Perkins 2026 Nuffield Scholars.
The four new Nuffield Scholars received their awards in Parliament on 4 November. From Canterbury, Otago and the Bay of Plenty, and representing industries including dairy, sheep and beef and aquaculture, they join 193 Nuffield New Zealand alumni and over 2000 international alumni. Coverage in the news includes:
Erica van Reenen, 2012 Kellogg Scholar
Erica van Reenen featured on REX (Rural Exchange) recently. Erica is the 2025 Rural Professional of the Year and AgFirst Chair. Erica spoke about her time working in government policy at the intersection of the Clarke and Key tenures. And she spoke about the lessons she learned and her time as a Kellogg Scholar.
Listen now >
Dr Jordi Hoult, 2024 Kellogg Scholar
Dr Jordi Hoult discusses drawing on her Kellogg research and experience in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector with Sarah Perriam-Lampp on the CountryWide podcast. Jordi explores how to empower mid-career professionals often overlooked in leadership. She identifies her Kellogg research “the missing middle” and highlights mentorship and flexible development as key to helping people in their 30s–50s thrive and shape the sector’s future.
Listen now >
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
Auckland to host World Dairy Summit.
One of the premier events on the global dairy calendar, the IDF's World Dairy Summit will be held in Auckland in November 2026. Recently returned from this year's Summit in Chile, Tracy Brown, DairyNZ Chair and 2020 Nuffield Scholar, anticipates the 2026 Summit will be 'a great opportunity for farmers in New Zealand, scientists and processors and all our supporting industries to really connect with the global dairy community.'
FMG Post now distributed with Farmers Weekly.
FMG's member publication, FMG Post, is now distributed as a Farmers Weekly pull-out, expanding its reach to all Farmers Weekly readers. Keep an eye out for the latest FMG Post edition this month, for insurance insights, business updates, and community investment news.
New rural nursing courses under development.
With funding support from Mackenzie Charitable Foundation, Ashburton nurse Karly Smith is developing specialist training courses for rural nurses. Based at the University of Otago's Rural Health Academic Centre, Smith is designing programmes to address the knowledge gap in rural nursing practice.
LIC opens methane research barn.
LIC has opened the Southern Hemisphere's largest methane research barn to develop low-emission bulls through genetic selection. The research could reduce dairy cow methane by up to 5% of New Zealand's 2050 targets, with breeding values expected by late 2026.
Industry news
Food and fibre leaders call for tertiary education reform.
In September, the Food and Fibre Chief Executives Group released a Workforce Capability Strategy calling for government to overhaul New Zealand's tertiary education system. Led by eight major sector organisations, the strategy shifts focus from enrollment numbers to high-impact skills, with Horticulture NZ CEO Kate Scott advocating a move from "chasing volume" to "generating value." The group proposes a $10-20 million "low-volume, high-value" training fund.
One-day Governance Fundamentals Workshop in Palmerston North.
Mayfield's Governance Fundamentals workshop will run at Farm Source Longburn, Palmerston North, on 2 December 2025. The one-day course covers governance principles, board roles, risk management, ethical decision-making, and strategy development through interactive exercises and networking with industry directors.
Nominations open for 2026 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Award, recognising women making a difference in their farms, businesses, and communities.
If you know a woman who is passionate about dairy, demonstrates strong leadership, and is inspiring positive change in the sector, nominate them by February 28.
Pictured: 2025 winner, Jo Sheridan.
Leadership opportunities
Board Trustee opportunities with Growing Future Farmers.
Growing Future Farmers is recruiting two new independent trustees, including a Chair, to strengthen governance and leadership for the future. GFF equips young people with essential skills through industry-led vocational training, to create practical pathways into the food and fibre sector.
Read the full role description > | Download PDF briefing pack >
Strategic partners:
Dairy NZ | AGMARDT | FMG | Mackenzie Charitable Foundation
Programme partners:
Ministry for Primary Industries | Farmlands | FAR | Horticulture New Zealand | Zespri | LIC | Rabobank | Beef+Lamb New Zealand
Academic partners:
Lincoln University | Massey University
Media and service partners:
AgriHQ | CountryWide Media | PwC | Federated Farmers | Tavendale and Partners
Regional partners:
Whanganui & Partners | Whangarei A&P Society
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