Young Country shines the light on agriculture as a career of choice for every school leaver or career changer in the country.
Young Country tells the story of the breadth of different career opportunities, training and professional development possibilities, asset and business growth, networking and career development through the eyes of young people who are in the sector working, growing and having fun.
LATEST ARTICLES
Seed testing demands precision and consistency
Caroline Mouton felt at home when she stepped inside a seed testing laboratory for the first time in New Zealand just over three years ago.
The need for precision and consistency in seed testing appealed to her after her previous work experiences while living in South Africa.
‘City girl’ tag no barrier in cultivar protection role
Charlotte Tumilson works at the commercial edge of plant breeding.
The intellectual property (IP) and commercial manager at Grasslanz Technology Limited (GTL) emigrated to New Zealand six years ago after completing a PhD in molecular biology in the United Kingdom and starting a career as a patent attorney in London.
Young agronomist enjoys helping farmers learn
Seeing farmers learn more about growing forages is a massive motivation for young agronomist Shannon Morton.
She interacts with farmers and field staff from forage seed retailers most workdays in her role covering Otago and Southland for global seed company Barenbrug, and finds it very rewarding seeing them have a ‘light-bulb moment’ as they grasp a new concept or realise the benefit of the advice she is offering.
Early days for Germinal Seeds’ NZ breeding programme
Fiona Foley jokes about liking straight lines. But they do help when you are the New Zealand plant breeding trials manager for multi-national seed company Germinal and you’re looking at a patchwork of plot trials most days.
FINDING SKIN CANCER AT FIELDAYS
Melanoma New Zealand will once again be at Fieldays, providing education and free skin cancer spot checks at the Waikato event from 12-15 June.
The charity will be joining a wide range of health providers and rural support networks located at the Fieldays Hauora Taiwhenua Health & Wellbeing Hub.
Applications now open for 2025 Rabobank New Zealand Graduate Programme
Applications for the 2025 intake of the Rabobank New Zealand Graduate Programme are now open.
Plant breeder keeps eye on future demands
Patience and predictive ability are helpful traits for any plant breeder says Justine Ferguson.
To navigate the 10-plus year timeframe to breed a new cultivar and get it to the point of release to the market takes patience, she says. Predicting the traits needed by a new cultivar in 10 or more years also means good plant breeders always have one eye on the future.
Paying it forward with Outward Bound for farmers
A scholarship set up by a Lincoln Uni student gives young farmers the opportunity to have the life-changing experience that is Outward Bound.
Applications open for 2024 Zanda McDonald Award programme
The search is on for the next generation of game-changers who are making a difference in agriculture, with applications now open for the 2024 Zanda McDonald Award.
Te Ara Pōtiki announces 15 agri-food internship opportunities
Te Ara Pōtiki has just announced an internship opportunity for 15 promising Māori leaders.
Wool carpet tiles for Wellington office
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is backing New Zealand sheep farmers by choosing Wools of New Zealand commercial wool tiles to carpet its Wellington office.
2024 Grassroots Dairy Management Programme coming up fast
We are looking for recent graduates who are ambitious and motivated to activate their dairy farming career.
Applications now open for 2024 Rabobank New Zealand Graduate Programme
Applications for the 2024 intake of the Rabobank New Zealand Graduate Programme are now open.
PODCASTS
S2 Ep7: A Lady Butcher – Hannah Miller
Hannah Miller is A Lady Butcher and her passion is to create purposeful meats.
Hannah’s jam is making traditional charcuterie, the art of preserving meat, with local New Zealand ingredients. She’s gaining a fan following for her range of premium dried and cured meats from local, ethically-raised animals.
S2 Ep6: Greg and Dansy Coppell – Repost
When Greg and Dansy Coppell purchased their sheep and beef farm near Nelson they needed to do 30km of fencing on a shoestring budget – recycled vineyard posts were the ideal solution.
S2 Ep5: Cam Ravenwood, Fernglen Farm
Sheep milking is providing the perfect value add, and creating opportunities for the whole Ravenwood family, at Wairarapa’s Fernglen Farm.
S2 Ep4: Mark Ferguson, neXtgen Agri
Genetics play a vital role in our industry and Mark Ferguson is leading a team at neXtgen Agri that aims to bring genes to life.
S2 Ep3: Elizabeth Hayes, Nest Tree Houses
Andy and Elizabeth Hayes of Million Springs Farm in the Hakataramea Valley, South Canterbury, realised they needed to do something outside the box to set their accommodation offering apart.
