5 minutes with Claire Nicholson New Farmlands board member Claire Nicholson talks about her background and how her Māori heritage informs her vision for sustainable agriculture. Tell us about your experience and how you believe this will help Farmlands?
followed by a shift to Auckland which
I have continued along the path of
saw me join a pharmaceutical company
solutions-driven product development
I come from dairy farming families
where I looked after the national dairy
working closely with sheep, beef and
with long histories in the Horowhenua
portfolio and latterly became the
dairy farmers in the research phases.
and Taranaki and more recently
country manager. This role gave me
In addition to my operational expertise,
Southland. This farming background
a much deeper understanding of the
I also have experience on a range of
inspired me – along with the James
animal health issues facing farmers
boards in the agri sector including
Herriot ‘All Creatures Great and Small’
and through research, enabled the
research and development, Māori
books – to become a veterinarian. My
development of solutions that were both
agribusiness and environmental entities.
30-year career has taken me along
practical and improved profitability.
This gives me a diverse, strategic
paths I would never have considered
This role also gave me insight into
view of both the current and future
as I was working my way towards a
supplier companies – such as
challenges farming faces and insight
vet degree at Massey University.
Farmlands – and the need to identify
into the technologies and services
My clinical career started with dairy
quality products, ensure supply
being developed to help farmers
practice in Morrinsville and then my OE
chain reliability and provide technical
maintain a profitable, sustainable
started in North Wales followed by a
support so their customers get the best
business that meets the requirements
move to small animal practice in London
possible solutions and service. With
of regulations and compliance that are
before returning to Tauranga. This was
the establishment of my own company,
constantly being thrown at them.
4 | THE FARMLANDER
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