28 August 2008 Kellogg Rural Leadership Course demonstrated importance of 'big picture' influences on growers

It's all very well working hard inside the orchard, but big influences outside the orchard gate can be the real determinants of whether that hard work translates into healthy returns and profitability, says Lincoln University Kellogg Rural Leadership Course alumnus Gary Jones, Membership Services Manager of Pipfruit New Zealand.

Gary, a graduate of the 2003 Kellogg Course and also the 2002 Lincoln University New Zealand Fruit Industry Leadership Programme, says the Lincoln University course opened his eyes to just how big and complex the agribusiness sector in New Zealand is. This came about by rubbing shoulders with industry representatives who were speakers on the course, and also through the "field trip" to Wellington which takes the Kelloggers to meet industry and business leaders and politicians in the capital's corridors of power.

"Returns at the orchard gate can be influenced by many external factors such as market access, government policy, international competition, the supply of seasonal labour, transportation and storage issues and a whole range of other determinants," says Gary.

"The Kellogg course emphasised the need to have a wide vision . . . to look at the broader environment."

At the time of going on the course Gary worked for a corporate orchard company in Hawkes Bay called Mr Apple Ltd and was involved with managing several orchards, technical management, research and development and representing the company on the National Research Committee.

An emerging interest in the strategic directions of fruit growing and a desire for more leadership training led him first of all to the NZ Fruit Industry Leadership Programme at Lincoln University and then to the Kellogg Rural Leadership Course.

He says that industry leadership has a vital role to play in creating a market and political environment which will allow growers to maximise the return on the hard work they put into their enterprises inside the orchard gate. He sees Pipfuit New Zealand Inc as materially assisting growers through helping to create the right operational environment.

"In New Zealand industry leaders tend to fall into roles by accident," he says. "Leaders are often those with a great passion for their industry but sometimes they don't have matching leadership skills. The Kellogg Rural Leadership Course is one vehicle for putting this right.

"The course brought me to the realisation that if you apply yourself and seek the right influences and opportunities you can become an effective industry leader. I would recommend the course to anyone keen to make a leadership contribution in their chosen field."