| 49 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Jenna Smith Need for change a focus for Nuffield Scholar Aimee Wilson It is a very busy year for Pouarua Farms chief executive Jenna Smith after being awarded one of four Nuffield Scholarships, giving her extensive travel opportunities. Just several months into 2024 she has already been to Brazil to a Global scholars’ conference and the US to look at farm systems, and in June she’s off to the UK and Europe to embark on personal study. Jenna chose to concentrate on Adaptive Pathways for Peatland Farming for her scholarship, and while overseas will be able to see how countries like the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland and Germany have now ‘rewet’ or significantly reduced the intensity of land use on some of their peatlands in order to restore their ecosystem functions. In New Zealand, approximately one per cent of our soil type is peat which is highly organic, but farming practices over the years has degraded the peat quality, through the use of heavy nutrient loading and intensive drainage. Jenna will be looking into what technologies and on-farm systems are being used successfully overseas that could work back here. “It’s a fantastic opportunity that I have been given and my experiences so far have really enlightened how I approach the change needed, and I remain really optimistic about the agricultural sector, including dairy. But it has also hammered home the need for change and pace and scale that is required if NZ is to remain competitive globally.” Jenna said she put her name forward and did a heap of work on her entry but still couldn’t quite believe it when she was chosen - among three others in New Zealand. The Nuffield Scholarships have been given out every year since 1947 and focus on recipients being able to better themselves, their farming operation and New Zealand agriculture as a whole. In September/October Jenna will make another trip to Borneo, Taiwan, Japan, Poland and Italy for the Global Focus Programme, to round off the year getting deep insight into each countries agricultural practice. She’s passionate about creating environmentally sustainable agri-businesses, and particularly for Pouarua Farms – a large dairy platform with five iwi owners on the Hauraki Plains. The farms have progressed into dairy beef breeding, maize grain and blueberry growing, and Jenna is always looking for new ways to sustain the land and create an intergenerational asset. The company looks at how it can help local iwi in other ways, whether it be meat from livestock, sweetcorn in the maize paddock, or firewood from fallen trees to keep homes warm in winter. With her extensive corporate agriculture experience across Waikato, Canterbury, Otago and Southland, having previously worked for SOE Pamu, and syndicated overseas investment farming portfolios, Jenna regularly contributes to advisory boards for sectoral organisations and ministries. Leading Pouarua Farms to be awarded as finalists in the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for excellence in Maori Farming in 2021, Jenna was also named a finalist in the 2021 Zanda McDonald Award which recognises talent and passion for Agriculture across Australia and New Zealand. “It’s a fantastic opportunity that I have been given and my experiences so far have really enlightened how I approach the change needed, and I remain really optimistic about the agricultural sector, including dairy.” HAURAKI PLAINS MOTORS LTD For all new and used farm machinery 1 Pipiroa Road, NGATEA - Ph. 07 867 7021 e: admin@hpmotors.co.nz www.haurakiplainsmotors.co.nz Miles Shelley 027 227 1121 Michael Duffin 027 440 4681 PROUD TO BE SUPPORTING THE JENNA SMITH NUFFIELD SCOLARSHIP 0274 741 105 Hauraki Plains office@nicholsoncontracting.co.nz For all your Ag Contracting needs Jenna Smith with the Lewis Road Creamery A2 milk – 100% produced from Pouarua Farms.
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