Country-Wide Summer 2024-25

Farm businesses, like any other business, thrive better when there’s good leadership, from large multi-farm businesses to family owned-and-operated farmers. But how do you become a good leader, and what actually makes one? In this episode we talk to Pāmu’s Bernadette Kelly about their leadership programme model, and Marlborough farmer Fraser Avery, who is investing in good leadership and team culture on his farm.

Are we leading from the front when it comes to our teams? Strong leadership is the common denominator when it comes to high-performing teams in our industry – and there’s a difference between management and leadership. Rebecca Greaves reports.

Attracting young people to the industry is a challenge, and how we train and grow their confidence in the early days affects our ability to retain them in our sector long term. Rebecca Greaves looks at how we can cultivate success for our future farmers.

Wellington sheep and beef farmer Hamish Best represented New Zealand in the 2024 Global Sheep Forum Next Generation programme earlier this year. Collaboration between countries was a major theme of the forum. Words Hamish Best.

When used in combination with ultrasound scanning CT scanning can almost double the rate of genetic progress in intramuscular fat compared to using ultrasound alone. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp Photos Dr. Neville Jopson.

New Zealand agriculture’s past is marked by several major breakthroughs that delivered substantial gains in productivity behind the farm gate. Tony Leggett explores where the sector’s next productivity boost will come from and finds success will require a leap of faith for many.

Unruly and wild screeds of data in spreadsheets to maintain and make sense of breeding decisions is the reason Hawke’s Bay deer farmer Richard Hilson now swears by Deer Select. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Deferred grazing to rejuvenate pastures has been a no-cost alternative to a summer regrassing programme for Waikato farmer Bill Garland, and he believes the practice could help farmers in their quest to become better environmental managers, as well being light on the pocket. Words Rebecca Greaves Photos Christine Cornege.