Primary Sector Needs A Pipeline of Directors

Many people start with local leadership roles, such as a school board or community trust, but opportunities must be available for them to gain experience at the next level of governance.

In 2024, I was given that opportunity when I was successful in my application for the two-year position of associate director with Ovis Management Ltd (OML) which promotes the control of sheep measles.

I am due to complete my term in August, so applications are now open for the next associate director through to 2028.

My advice to those looking to make that step into industry governance is to apply, and if you are successful, seize the opportunity with both hands.

For me, the experience has been more than I could have ever imagined in terms of board observation and networking opportunities.

I have had the opportunity to observe best practice with OML. The board's cohesion enables a lot to be discussed in a short space of time, from farm to market and everything in between.

There's a great level of respect and due diligence that goes into delivering a programme such as Ovis and as associate director I've felt supported, observed a range of scenarios and been encouraged to contribute at every opportunity.

I think many people underestimate the importance of OML. As a farming partner in the Rangitikei, we were already following its advice, but I was not aware of the quiet success it has in education and preventing C. ovis from entering our markets.

Seeing the OML role advertised was exciting. Alongside farming, I run my own brand development business. I had completed rural leadership programmes, including Kellogg and To The Core, and was actively looking for an associate role that would provide real-world boardroom experience.

The advice I had been given was to focus on areas of interest and consider what skills you would bring to the table. My initial interest was the on-farm connection with biosecurity along with my background in marketing and brand development.

As a farming partner with a young farmer, I had leaned into the administration and audit side of the business.

We had spent the previous couple of years working through various farm plans with a biosecurity component. In terms of Ovis, we already had dog policies in place, including a monthly worming programme with our vet, records for Farm Assurance Programme purposes, and steps around visiting and neighbouring dogs.

We knew the guidelines around freezing meat and cooking offal, and monitored downgrades on kill sheets, but no more than any other farmer would. I had also spent time working for a meat processor, so I had a broad understanding of the supply chain.

The fact that OML was a subsidiary of the Meat Industry Association was also appealing because of the opportunity to build connections in the industry.

So, like all good decisions, I trusted my gut and applied for the role. It has been a fascinating learning journey, not only in terms of gaining governance skills and experience, but also in building knowledge of, and a real passion for, this important work.

OML occupies a niche space, working through AsureQuality inspectors to monitor every carcase and ensure everything heading to our markets is of the highest quality.

The data is fed back to OML's project manager, who works with farmers with high prevalence rates and educated them on best practice.

It is one of the only programmes in the world that links individual carcase downgrades to a specific infection. That information can be proactively discussed with the individual farmer and managed in a positive way, with the outcome being consistently low prevalence rates and higher education rates.

It is a fascinating programme and an example of the many important processes behind the curtain that are often overlooked when we champion food producers or successful in-market campaigns. Without them, we would not reach the high level of quality that opens so many opportunities globally.

Sophie Henderson is an associate director of Ovis Management Ltd.