Network to offer rural connections
Manawatu has a new Rural Business Network aiming to bridge the gap between young rural people and rural business.
The Rural Business Network (RBN) is independent of NZ Young Farmers. The RBN concept and its resourcing has been initiated by PICA (the Primary Industry Capability Alliance), a partnership between Massey, Lincoln, Dairynz, Beef & Lamb NZ, NZ Young Farmers, Federated Farmers and AGITO.
Young Farmers network manager Sara Russell said the need for the RBN was identified as members of Young Farmers aged out of the organisation, but found the community groups available did not focus on business or meet their need to have peer support and mentoring for their careers.
Ms Russell said they knew there was a great deal of business innovation and talent in the rural sector.
‘‘The opportunities for rural business people, be they farmers, sales reps or consultants to network, to learn from each other, to connect and develop their careers are few.’’
Farm adviser Gary Massicks helped set up the RBN.
‘‘There are a large number of our generation working in the agricultural sector, we all have the same passion and desire to build a future for the industry, but who is our advocacy group? Where do we go to build our contacts and knowledge? What about personal development?’’
He said the RBN was their industry group that will give them a great business and social network, where they can build their business and personal development ‘‘for the better of New Zealand Agriculture Inc’’.
‘‘The RBN will use a combination of meetings, web-based networks, and whatever the members want to socialise and connect.’’
Ms Russell said the farming business culture of the past had been to isolate farmers rather than encourage them to work together and learn from each other.
‘‘The industry runs the line that farming is the backbone of the economy.
‘‘But we don’t have more land to grow more food to export. What it does have is innovative, young farmers and rural business people building businesses that add value to the nation’s bottom line.
‘‘However, that only happens when rural entrepreneurs have a place to grow their skills and confidence.’’
Advisory Committee spokesman and the man who has chaired the past two meetings, William Morrison, said in his Hunterville sheep and beef heartland, business could not be better.
‘‘Peak market prices combined with phenomenal grass growth and livestock performance, are resulting in unprecedented times.’’
But he said as economies continued to crumble around the world, it was up to farmers ‘‘to get things moving’’.
Mr Morrison said the thriving farms, rural businesses and communities provided the perfect platform to launch New Zealand’s required growth.
‘‘In 2012 each of us needs to continue to be better informed, to innovate and to collaborate.
‘‘Your Rural Business Network will provide a perfect starting point.
‘‘If you and your associates have any affinity to any of the words ‘rural’ or ‘business’ or ‘network’ then RBN is for you.’’
The inaugural Manawatu RBN Hub meeting was in November.
The second meeting was last night at Massey University.
To join the mailing list email: Sara Russell at sara.russell@youngfarmers.co.nz