Tuesday, 22 April 2025 09:55

Former Beef+Lamb NZ CEO appointed head of Foundation for Arable Research

Written by  Staff Reporters
Scott Champion Scott Champion

Former chief executive of Beef+Lamb New Zealand Scott Champion will head the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) from July.

Champion is a founding partner of consulting company Primary Purpose and the programme director of the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.

FAR board chair Steven Bierema says Champion’s skills are well matched to the developing needs of New Zealand’s arable industry and its growers.

“Scott has been involved with the New Zealand and Australian food and fibre industries for 25 years, holding leadership and governance roles in research, tertiary education, marketing and industry good and has strong networks across agribusiness, government and other sectors,” he says.

Champion says he is looking forward to supporting arable farmers as they work through the numerous challenges and opportunities facing their industry.

“Growers are dealing with a lot; understanding everything from how to reduce environmental impacts to meeting customer and consumer needs, and of course, remaining profitable. I’ve been involved in developing strategies and programmes to address some of these issues in both arable and other food and fibre industries and look forward to working with and supporting growers and the broader arable industry.”

Champion will take over from current FAR chief executive Dr Alison Stewart on 1 July.

More like this

The genetics of body condition scoring

This is the third in a series of articles from Beef + Lamb New Zealand's Informing New Zealand Beef programme. The seven-year INZB partnership, supported by Beef+Lamb New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, aims to boost the sector's profits by $460m.

Featured

AgriSIMA 2026 Paris machinery show cancelled

With the current situation in the European farm machinery market being described as difficult at best, it’s perhaps no surprise that the upcoming AgriSIMA 2026 agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled for February 2026 at Paris-Nord Villepinte, has been cancelled.

NZ tractor sales show signs of recovery – TAMA

As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Picking winners?

OPINION: Every time politicians come up with an investment scheme where they're going to have a crack at 'picking winners'…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter