James Blair Named 2026 Young Grower National Champion
James Blair, an agronomist for AS Wilcox and the Pukekohe regional champion, has won the 2026 Young Grower national title.
Blair pitched his skills against six fellow contestants to take the title on May 15.
He also won the best speech and best theory categories.
He's one of the seven finalists for Horticulture New Zealand's national Young Grower of the Year competition in Cromwell on August 27-28.
From UK Dairy Farm to New Zealand Horticulture
Blair, aged 28, grew up on a dairy farm in the UK before gaining a degree in agricultural crop science.
After working for two years as an agronomist in the UK, he and his partner went travelling, working in Australia for a year before heading to New Zealand where he joined AS Wilcox as a technical crop supervisor for potatoes and discovered a passion for horticulture.
Supporting Growers Across New Zealand
He is now technical support for four regions, covering from Pukunui in the Far North to Ohakune, as well as overseeing the seed programme for the South Island.
"I enjoy that it is always busy with a good mixture of admin and practicality," he says.
"There is a bit of office work, but crop walking is still the best part for me and going to the different regions and meeting different growers.
"All the regions have their own challenges, and you have to approach each one differently. There is also a lot of opportunity for innovation, and the company puts a lot of trust in you to try new things."
Discovering a Career in Agronomy
Prior to going to university, Blair wasn't aware of the range of jobs available in agriculture (he didn't see himself going into a practical farming role).
He came across agronomy and the jobs associated with it; this led him to studying Agricultural Crop Science.
While at university, he arranged to spend time with Agrovista, an agronomy company, to see if this was the pathway he wanted to take.
"I enjoyed it so much that I continued to help with the company whenever I had the chance and joined them once I finished my degree. I also went on to gain my BASIS diploma which is required to be an agronomist in the UK.
"This was the first time I had entered thee Young Grower competition, and it was a fantastic experience. The contestants came from a real mix of horticulture backgrounds, from kiwifruit to glasshouses and large vegetable growers, but the competition was designed to suit everyone.
"It's an important event because it is a chance to test your skills against your peers but also to raise awareness among young people of the opportunities in the industry, because there are so many."
