PERSONAL STORY
RICHARD REID Grew up in the Wairarapa in the 1980’s in the quiet town of Martinborough. The main influence of the town during this period was farming and with Richard’s father being a business partner of Colton Bros Agricultural Contractors, the stage was set early on for his career in agriculture. Richard went to Wairarapa College which boasts a strong agricultural programme. Work experience with the school’s farm plots further enhanced his growing passion for a farming career. Working on farms every weekend and school holidays was a start, however, the real excitement came from his trips down south to see his Uncle Donald at Molesworth Station. There he began to truly learn how agriculture plays such a crucial role in New Zealand’s economy. After leaving school Richard spent some time at Smedley Station in Hawke’s Bay, before heading off to Massey University to study a Diploma in Agriculture. Richard credits this period of his life as being pivotal in his professional development, benefiting from the combination of practical and academic application he received at both station and university. Following graduation from university, Richard went back to the farm in the hills of Martinborough for a short period; working his way through stock managing and into management. These roles improved Richard’s understanding of feeding stock and how to grow animals to their best potential. During this period Richard joined the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers where he enjoyed organising and competing in various competitions. It was here where he started to take an interest in the dairy industry, having the opportunity to spend time learning systems and the basics of dairying. In 2007 Richard decided to go back to his father’s business with the plan to upskill and save money to travel overseas. On day one he was told he would be responsible for the maize planting and side dressing and from there his passion for maize grew. Richard’s friends would quite often give him grief about how much he talked about maize, but as it turned out it, it led him to the USA to drive amongst maize and lucerne growing areas; experiencing and learning about American farming systems. On his return from the USA Richard took up a job with a maize company in the area of research. Richard increased his knowledge of maize during this role whilst also having the responsibility to provide agronomic advice to a number of growers. Giving good advice is something Richard learned to enjoy, which led to a difficult
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decision to the leave the maize industry for something new. His new role began at PGG Wrightson as a Technical Field Representative and with it an opportunity to upskill in the areas of cropping and dairy farming. Richard thoroughly enjoyed his time in this position, but a couple of conversations in early 2017 had him thinking that “nothing else grows quite like maize”, which set the wheels in motion for a return to his passion for all things maize. Richard joined the Corson Maize team in May 2017 as a Sales Agronomist and immediately found himself feeling at home and advising on a great selection of hybrids he had seen in his trialling days. Richard was ready to apply all the skills and knowledge he had acquired in his previous roles. Each of his experiences have further developed his passion and hunger to succeed in the maize industry and provide the best support to his clients. Richard finds he can relate well with farmers and given his personal experience he can see things from their perspective. He knows how important it is to listen and see things from both sides. His favourite part of his role is when he can provide personal guidance that provides a benefit to the maize crop and the grower. Richard always has the same answer when people ask what drives him professionally; “a great looking crop that turns into liquid gold for a farmer”. Of course, his wife Emma and his three boys are at the top of his personal list. Being on the road a lot means spending time with his family is precious; if he’s not working, he can be found at home with his kids teaching them about the outdoors, starting them young, as his parents did for him. He believes that “kids should be kids”, and his sons thrive on exploring and finding things at the beach and in the bush. Richard is always looking for ways to push himself and further his learning and development. He believes the agriculture industry is an exciting place to be and encourages others to be there as well.
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