Enthusiastic about her Beef + Lamb position
Former MAF policy analyst Erica van Reenen has wasted no time settling into her new role as Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s midnorthern North Island extension manager and her new community.
The Massey University graduate said she was enjoying the role, particularly engaging directly with farmers, seeing first hand fantastic opportunities for the sheep and beef sector, and getting out into the region.
Ms van Reenen grew up in Wanaka, Central Otago, attending Mount Aspiring College.
She completed a bachelor of science majoring in agricultural science, focusing on sustainable agriculture, before doing a masters (honours) on merino wool production and South Island high country management.
In the three years since graduating, Ms van Reenen worked as a policy analyst for the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, initially in the Natural Resource Group and later in the Sector Performance Team.
Now living in Hamilton, Ms van Reenen is also doing her bit for rural-urban relations, establishing a Young Farmers Hamilton City Club for rural professionals.
‘‘When I moved to Wellington for the MAF position, I joined the newly-formed Young Farmers Wellington Club. I was chairwoman for a year, before moving to Waikato. Along with Tim van de Molen, a National Bank rural manager, we saw a need for young rural professionals in Hamilton to get together, network and seek opportunities for development so we started the club in Hamilton. The reaction has been very positive from new members as well as from the wider agricultural industry with over 30 members to date and growing.’’
While not raised on a farm, Ms van Reenen spent summer holidays during her degree working on farms.
‘‘I spent my second summer on a sheep and beef farm in North Wairarapa. First week on the job, they taught me how to use a chainsaw and sent me down the back of the farm to put up some rails next to a gate. I was okay with using the chainsaw but managed to split a piece of my timber leaving me with not enough to complete the job properly. Several clever ideas later, the result was not particularly pretty. But the rails were stock proof and still there several years later. Actually, they became rather famous in Makuri as ‘Erica’s rails’.’’
To contact Erica van Reenen call 0 839 0286, 02 55 8836 or email erica.vaneeenen@beeflamb nz.com.