Episode 32 – How are rural professionals bolstering our primary sector?
The New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management (NZIPIM) conference was held at Mystery Creek this week, a celebration of the rural professionals supporting our agriculture industry.
Sheryl Haitana talks to the President and Chief Executive of NZIPIM about how they see themselves as a conduit to growing the industry, and the winner of Rural Professional of the Year about his work educating the next generation at Lincoln University. Also hear from Dr Jenny Webster-Brown about the Our Land & Water project, and what farmers can learn from it now about the role of land use on water quality.
Guests include:
- Rob Macnab, President, & Jo Finer, Chief Executive New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management (NZIPIM)
- Dr Jenny Webster-Brown, Water Quality Specialist and Director, Our Land And Water
- Dan Smith, Lincoln University, and NZIPIM Rural Professional of the Year
Hosts:
- Sheryl Haitana, Editor, Dairy Exporter
- Anne Lee, Deputy Editor, Dairy Exporter
Jo Finer and Rob Macnab from NZIPIM discuss what role the NZIPIM plays in the primary industries, how rural professionals can get involved, and what the benefits of it are.
They discuss the importance of collaboration in the sector to continue growing New Zealand’s primary industries sector, and the role they see themselves playing in that.
Water Quality Specialist and Director of Our Land And Water Dr Jenny Webster-Brown discusses the Our Land And Water project which is now finishing. She says it was set up to look at both how we improve freshwater quality, and how land use fits into that. The aim is to provide information to show those who can make changes what land use would be better, and what impact that would have on water quality, so that those who either have to or want to improve their environmental performance, have options.
A new eight-part podcast series highlights a range of presentations from the project, hosted by Dr Jenny Webster-Brown. You can listen to it here.
Lincoln University Agribusiness and Rural Management Lincoln Dan Smith won the NZIPIM Rural Professional of the Year. He discusses his journey to where he is today, from starting his career as a truck driver, to studying at Lincoln, and going into the banking industry. He is now back at Lincoln University as a lecturer, and shares some of his wisdom for those wanting to get into the rural professional space.
He also discusses the WellMates Programme he’s been part of at Lincoln University, to educate our future farmers and rural professionals about looking after themselves and others when it comes to their wellbeing and mental health.
