NEW ZEALAND PORK - Key Persons
Brent has a science degree from the University of Canterbury, majoring in Biology and 13 years' experience with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). His roles in MPI have included 5 years as a chief Quarantine officer with Biosecurity New Zealand and more recently as a Principal Advisor in stakeholder and industry engagement with their Public Affairs Branch. Brent joined the NZPork team in July 2021 as policy manager, bringing widespread experience in the primary sector to the role, prior to being appointed as NZPork Chief Executive.
Dr David Lawton is one of the two pig veterinarians in New Zealand consulting to commercial producers, bringing more than 20 years' experience working with farmers across the industry. Dr Lawton has also played a significant role in the development of animal welfare standards and disease management in New Zealand, including the development of PigCare™, the New Zealand Pork certification programme, for which he is currently an auditor. Dr Lawton was previously the senior lecturer in Pig Health and Production at Massey University, is a Primary ITO Assessor, president of the pig veterinarians special interest branch and co-director of Ecopharm, which supplies a range of products to the industry. He owns and manages a Taranaki dairy farm.
Eric brings extensive political experience and networks along with farming expertise to the role of Chairman. Eric served as National Party MP between 1993 and 2014 as well as serving as Assistant Speaker of the House from 1998 to 2002 and Deputy Speaker of the House in 2011. After retiring from politics at the 2014 election, Eric was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order, for services as a Member of Parliament, in the 2015 New Year Honours. Eric is also a Justice of the Peace. He owns and manages Glenore Farms, a Southland-based farm business providing dairy support, running beef, deer along with a sheep operation selling sire rams. Eric is also serving a second term as regional councillor for Environment Southland.
Frances has been involved with the New Zealand pork industry for over 20 years. Her work primarily focuses on those industry matters and activities to support pig farming as a sustainable activity producing New Zealand pig meat that is well regarded and appreciated by New Zealanders. She works closely with New Zealand Pork's technical advisers and industry veterinarians to ensure policy is soundly based and represents these views to regulators and other primary industry organisations. Current priority matters span biosecurity, animal welfare and food safety / suitability.
Gemma has a BSc and Post Graduate Diploma in Horticultural Science from Lincoln University. She brings extensive experience within the biosecurity industry to her role, including with Environment Canterbury, HortResearch and AgriQuality. Gemma excels at transferring technical information in layman's terms through a range of communication channels, from face to face training to technical report writing, web-based content, fact sheets, guides and other materials. Gemma is responsible for the setting up and overseeing of the database system to manage commercial pig farmers, non-commercial owners of pigs, supply chain partners and users of New Zealand Pork marketing collateral. She is leading the process to consolidate New Zealand Pork's internal SharePoint database and to equip staff and users in its efficient usage. Gemma also collects production data and statistics which she compiles into meaningful reports for industry use.
Helen and her husband own and manage a large outdoor pig farm in Canterbury after previously running a dairy farm in Southland. Helen is passionate about the pork industry, acting as an industry representative for more than a decade with a particular focus in the areas of welfare and environment. In 2019, she was awarded an AGMARDT Individual Scholarship and is undertaking Institute of Director (IOD) courses. She has also been awarded an IOD Emerging Director Award for the Canterbury region, giving her a director internship on the Board of Electricity Ashburton. Helen's other passion is as a volunteer children's sport coach.
Job Titles:
- Technical Advisor
- Technical Manager
For the last 20 years Ian has been providing technical support to producers, nutritionists, veterinarians and other industry personnel. He filled a key role with technology transfer, co-ordinated pork industry seminars and workshops and supplies technical information and expertise. Ian's recent emphasis has been on pork industry training and support in welfare, sow housing and environmental issues. Ian holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and a postgraduate Diploma in Nutrition from Massey University.
Ian Barugh has been NZPork's technical manager for almost three decades but has had a lifelong involvement in the pork industry.
Ian grew up on a dairy farm in the Waikato, and while he retains an interest in all things farming, pigs have always been his focus.
He bought his first sow in 1963 at the age of 12 and before long he was ploughing up the road frontage to plant crops - mainly pumpkins - to help feed his small pig herd. His husbandry skills were such that in 1967 he topped the Frankton sale with a line of 10 weaners.
Leaving school in 1970, he worked at the National Pig Breeding Centre (NPBC) at Korakonui, running a herd of 180 sows. It was the start of a professional career in the industry that has seen him equally at home working with pig farmers, scientists, industry vets and other experts around the world.
Job Titles:
- Business Support Administrator
Jane brings her exceptional planning and organisational skills to managing the New Zealand Pork office, ensuring everything is functioning smoothly.
Jason brings a lifetime of involvement in the pig industry to his role as a Director. Raised on a mixed-stock farm with pigs, Jason completed a Bachelor of Commerce Agriculture at Lincoln before embarking on a career with PIC NZ, a leading pig genetics firm. Working in business development and sales, Jason has built strong relationships with farmers around New Zealand. Jason also has shares in a major pig farming operation in Canterbury as well as a dairy farm. Along with sitting on the board of several small farming operations, Jason is active in his community including sitting on the school board. And when he gets a chance, Jason gets out for a bit of mountain biking and touch rugby.
Jessie has an Honours Degree in Animal Science and has worked in a range of primary sector management positions over a fifteen-year period including Central Government, Local Government, non-profit and commercial organisations. She is currently Chair of RuralCo Ltd, on the Board of Bio-Protection Aotearoa and is a Trustee of Meat the Need. Jessie has previously served on the Board of Ngai Tahu Farming Ltd, Alpine Energy Ltd, Connetics Ltd, DairyNZ Ltd (as an Associate Director), Business Mid Canterbury and Federated Farmers Mid Canterbury. Jessie has completed the Fonterra Governance Development Programme and the Te Hono Bootcamp at Stanford University. She was awarded a Member of the NZ Order of Merit in 2022 for services to dairy and agriculture. She also received the Women in Governance Award for Inspiring Governance Leader in 2021, and Dairy Woman of the Year in 2017.
New Zealand Pork is the statutory industry board that works to support New Zealand's commercial pig farmers.
Job Titles:
- Animal Welfare Science Advisor
Kirsty is based in the School of Agriculture and Environment at Massey University, Palmerston North and has been involved in the New Zealand pork industry since beginning her post graduate studies in 2010. After completing a Masters in sow welfare, she went on to complete a PhD in 2016, investigating aspects of sow and piglet performance and behaviour in an alternative farrowing system. She is interested in practical, science-based research that benefits and enhances on-farm practice.
Kirsty provides science-based advice on aspects relevant to animal welfare. She is also involved in overseeing the on-farm welfare certification programme, PigCareTM, delivering stockperson training in areas covering animal welfare, behaviour, and handling; and works closely with our policy and technical personnel.
Job Titles:
- Senior Environmental Advisor
Lynda Murchison is the senior environmental advisor for NZPork. She has a PhD in environmental policy and planning, full membership of the New Zealand Planning Institute and over 25 years' experience working in environmental planning for district and regional councils, Ngai Tahu entities and as a consultant.
Lynda is also an adjunct lecturer at Lincoln University and lectures post-graduate courses in environmental planning.
She has a background in sheep and beef farming, and a strong interest in the interface between farming and environmental planning. She divides her time between NZPork and her own consultancy.
Job Titles:
- National Industry Support Manager
- National Industry Support Manger
Maitland grew up on a sheep, beef and cropping farm in the Wairarapa before obtaining a Zoology degree from the University of Canterbury in 1994.
He has worked as a project manager in information technology and agricultural-related research.
Maitland has spent the last 12 years' working for levy-based organisations working in research and farm extension, focusing on farmer wellbeing, feed and farm systems and the environment.
Maitland Manning joined NZPork as National Industry Support Manager in May 2021, bringing a wealth of experience in the agricultural sector .
Maitland grew up on a sheep, beef and cropping farm in the Wairarapa, where his experience with pigs began. His family's pigs were destined for the dinner table.
After gaining his degree in Zoology at Canterbury University, Maitland worked as a technical officer for the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) before heading off on his OE, living in the UK and working for London Underground.
Returning to New Zealand, he worked on biosecurity and groundwater projects for the former HortResearch and Crop and Food Research as a project manager, followed by stints at QEII National Trust, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and DairyNZ.
"My experience at B+LNZ and DairyNZ had a focus on change and helping farmers adapt their farm systems, deal with the stress to and support each other's mental health," says Maitland.
"That is all combined in what I am doing now at NZPork.
"When this role came up, one of the attractions was it is a small team, I knew it would be all hands to the pump when issues came up, such as COVID-19, weather events or regulatory change. I am really enjoying the variety of the job and how we can connect directly with farmers. It is very rewarding.
"Also, I had spent years working for farming and research organisations off farm - but I have always been interested in what is happening on farm. So, I really enjoy the time I get to spend with farmers."
Maitland leads NZPork's marketing strategy, with the focus of getting New Zealand born and raised pork on to consumers' plates and raising public awareness about the sector's high standards.
"Part of that is combating the impact of imported product," says Maitland.
Nick has a Political Science degree from the University of Canterbury and Post-graduate Certificate in Public Policy from Victoria. After starting in the grain and seed industry in Christchurch, Nick has worked in agriculture, agribusiness, and food and fibre policy for more than a decade.
Nick came to NZPork from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in Wellington, where he was part of a team providing strategic advice to the Government, primarily focused on supporting sustainable and inclusive growth of the food and fibre sector.
Prior to MPI, Nick worked for Federated Farmers, including four years as Industry Policy Manager, where he worked on a wide range of policy and regulatory areas to ensure farmers' views were represented.
Nicky Tily grew up in urban Christchurch and worked in the food service sector for a number of years - but today, she's a junior stockperson working with up to 4,000 pigs - and she loves every minute of it.
"Pigs are so intelligent," says Nicky, who is 23. "I enjoy everything about the job."
Nicky had always liked the idea of working with animals or on a farm and considered a career in vet nursing. However, having completed a six month course, gaining a National Certificate in Animal Husbandry, she decided against vet nursing.
Her first job in the farming sector was with Mapua stud at Southbridge, which includes a sheep stud, dairy grazing, cropping and a 120 sow outdoor piggery. She enjoyed all of the work, but particularly working with the pigs.
In July, she moved to Offaly Farms at Annat, near Sheffield, working for farmer Sean Molloy - as the farm is closer to home in Coalgate where she now lives with her partner. The indoor piggery is home to 400 breeding sows. At any one time, there are 4000 pigs on site including piglets, weaners, growers and sows.
"All my learning in farming has been on the job although I'm now pursuing Primary ITO Level 3 qualifications around pigs," says Nicky. "It's been a steep learning curve but I have really enjoyed it. I've learned about health and safety, driving the vehicles, how to do artificial insemination (AI),use the feed mill, give pigs vaccines and carry out health checks."
Paul has been involved in the meat industry for over 40 years, the last 33 working for Wilson Hellaby in various roles mostly around Livestock Procurement and always as the Pork Procurement Manager. In 2017, Wilson Hellaby moved its Pork Processing to Ruakura where he continues that role, as well as leading projects including understanding what processes impact on meat quality. During his career, Paul has built deep and strong relationships with pork farmers all over New Zealand. He also represents New Zealand Pork on the Board of Retail Meat New Zealand.