36 | Silver Fern Farms T T Russell Fredric Making her mark in the rural sector Imogen Brankin is supporting farmers with various market-led sustainability initiatives at Silver Fern Farms. “If we want consumers to pay more for our product because of how good it is, and how sustainable it is, we need to have the information to be able to prove that.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT T T to page 38 An on-farm sustainability advisor with Silver Fern Farms, Imogen Brankin is wasting no time in making her mark in the agricultural sector and beyond. Imogen has been with Silver Farm Farms (SFF) for four-and-a-half years and in her present role for two years. She completed a Bachelor of Agriculture degree at Lincoln University in 2020, and was one of this year’s finalists for the Emerging Leader Award at the Primary Industries NZ Awards. The award recognises those making a mark early in their careers through leadership, passion, and impact across the sector. Imogen organised 60 ‘Know Your Number’ climate change workshops, and sat on primary industry committees and advisory groups. She won the 2022 Polson Higgs and Young Farmers Innovation Competition, speaking on the topic ‘Can Farming Deliver a Sustainable Future for New Zealand’, and was part of a team of five who competed in the 2023 IFAMA (International Food and Agribusiness Management Association) Global Student Case competition. Imogen initially worked for SFF in a what is normally a three-year mentored graduate programme with 12-month rotations in different business units, where she was able to contribute to projects, given responsibility for areas of delivery and gain a deeper understanding of the supply chain. “I did my first year in the sustainability and risk team, and then moved into our marketing team before finishing the graduate programme in the livestock and agribusiness team,” she says. Her current role is “farmer-facing,” supporting farmers with various market-led sustainability initiatives. “It’s supporting them, navigating through change, and facing into the future. A couple of my main work streams are around NZFAP Plus and our Net Carbon Zero programme.” She also helps with other market-led certification programmes. New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP) and NZFAP Plus are voluntary programmes, independently audited on a three-yearly cycle. They aim to provide confidence and certainty for meat and wool companies and consumers globally that products from New Zealand’s sheep, beef, and deer farms are of premium quality, trusted, and safe. Together with the off-farm programmes, Wool Traceability and New Zealand Livestock Transport Assurance, they provide assurances around product integrity, traceability, animal health and welfare, people, environment, and biosecurity. A key part of Imogen’s and SFF’s work is to support farmers and help them towards achieving certification. “I work closely with our suppliers, supporting them through the whole process, from getting them on board with the programme, working out what information they currently have and what they need to do for meeting the requirements, right through to becoming certified – however long that takes – and maintaining their certification. “I guess the key thing about the programme is it’s about future-proofing the farm system; it really is driven by market demand.” Fundamental to this process and achieving NZFAP Plus certification is farmers having appropriate documentation. Farmers participating in the programme are audited every three years. “If we want consumers to pay more for our product because of how good it is, and how sustainable it is, we need to have the information to be able to prove that.” Tangible benefits for farmers include future-proofing their farm system and realising opportunities, including value-added opportunities in markets. 03 684 9100 www.coolpak.co.nz Cold Chain Storage Solutions & Service, With You In Mind. “Coolpak Coolstores Ltd are Proud to Support Silver Fern Farms”
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