Ravensdown CEO takes out premier award
Ravensdown chief executive Greg Campbell has been named the 2019 Primary Industries Chief Executive of the Year at the inaugural Primary Industries Awards.
MASSEY UNIVERSITY is well placed to provide the education needed to support the 50,000 new jobs in primary industries projected by 2025 in a new report, says Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Anderson.
Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy launched the 'Future Capability Needs For Primary Industries in New Zealand' report, revealing over half of the new jobs will require tertiary qualifications in order for New Zealand to double its exports by 2025. Primary industry jobs cover farming, fishing, forestry and mining.
The report predicts the biggest growth to be generated in support services jobs (researchers, rural consultants, veterinarians, agronomists and irrigation specialists) as primary production and processing becomes more sophisticated and greater value is added beyond the farm gate all the way to the consumer.
Professor Anderson says Massey is in a strong position to provide the educational requirements identified in the report. "This is an excellent and timely report and Massey is well placed to play a full part in delivering the education needed. The fact that the future capability requirement covers the entire agricultural value chain, from land-based to consumers, is especially welcome."
Massey University is a world leader in agriculture, recently ranked 19th in the world by the Quacquarelli Symonds world university subject rankings out of thousands of universities. Massey has an unparalleled breadth of expertise across the value chain offering programmes covering sustainable production, managing resources, plant and human health, innovation in food, and food safety and security, Professor Anderson says.
Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey says Massey is committed to working alongside companies, industries, communities, local and central governments and international agencies to find solutions. "The university adds value to New Zealand's land-based industries and continues its contribution to the global agenda of food security and developing sustainable resource management strategies. Our flexibility, breadth of capability across the food value chain and our connectedness throughout the world helps us assemble the best expertise."
"Agriculture and food production are important globally, nationally and personally, and the forces influencing them seem greater than ever. They include population expansion, obesity, pandemics, global warming and food security and safety. We will have to work together to ensure we meet these challenges."
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.

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