72 | Sam brings 13 years of expertise to the job The company is keeping the bar high, and at the forefront of what they do is supporting farmers in becoming viable and profitable. Aimee Wilson RURAL SERVICES » Catalyst Performance Agronomy Senior Agronomist Sam Sturgess can guarantee when he pulls up to a farmer’s property in North Otago, there’s a good chance his clients will want to talk about rugby just as much as how their pastures are doing. Recently named a finalist at the 2024 Arable NZ awards, the senior training manager for Catalyst Performance Agronomy and former North Otago representative, certainly enjoys talking business, but appreciates the big game is often a topic of conversation as well. “Farming and sport certainly go hand in hand, and people get a lot of satisfaction out of that,” he said. This is his first season not representing his province after eight years, but he still plays club rugby and admits to being more of a family man nowadays. As a first time entrant in the Agronomist of the Year category, Sam brings 13 years of expertise to the job, and for the past four years has been mentoring the younger generation within the company. Catalyst Performance Agronomy has an intensive 18-month graduate programme that is a real point of difference within the industry, involving regular training days and written exams, before new staff are sent out in the field. “We’re making sure to put the right people in the job,” he said. As a business on the back of the training program, the company is keeping the bar high, and at the forefront of what they do is supporting farmers in becoming viable and profitable. “We’re not just servicing that crop to get the best yield but managing that from a business perspective, and we’re using a lot of technology to do that,” he said. The business uses online platforms to help their crop management which is hugely beneficial from a practical sense, but also vitally important in mapping, budgeting, tracking cost, results as well as on farm compliance. Sam acknowledges that profitability on farm has been a real struggle right across the sector in recent years, so the recommendations they suggest to clients must ensure the best overall outcome in terms of profitability . Sam grew up in the Manawatu on a sheep, beef and deer farm before moving South and attending Waitaki Boys High school in Oamaru. Proudly supporting Catalyst Performance Agronomy Scan the QR code to learn more about Revystar Fungicide ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. Revystar Fungicide ACVM registration number: P9654. ©Copyright BASF 2024. ®Registered trademark of BASF. BASFNZ0062 1024 The first choice for foliar disease in cereals • Outstanding control of Ramularia in barley and excellent protection against other key diseases creating yield potential in cereal crops. • Extra green leaf retention, which also promotes higher yields. • The unique combination of the most powerful Group 3 triazole fungicide and market-leading Group 7 SDHI chemistry provides excellent control of pathogens with resistance to other fungicide modes of action. He was all signed up at Lincoln University before last minute taking on a rugby scholarship at the University of Otago instead. Studying a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management and Geography alongside playing for both Otago University and then representing the Otago NPC team in 2015, his first job was in Central Otago for CRT, as a technical field officer. Learning agronomy from his first day on the job, he works in both the arable and pastoral farms. After a stint playing professional rugby in Hong Kong and Spain, he came back home to work in North Otago. Catalyst Performance Agronomy was still currently in a growth phase with 27 staff on the road, compared to just 11 when Sam first started with them in May 2018. “We’re bringing good advice to our customers, with exceptional service and getting real results”.
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