Ideas That Grow

In this episode of the Ideas That Grow Podcast, 2025 Kellogg Scholar Tim Orlando-Reep shares how his Waikato beef farm integrates carbon forestry, biodiversity ambitions and catchment collaboration. 
While pine credits stack up financially, his research through the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme explores how native plantings can balance profitability with environmental impacts.

In this episode of Ideas That Grow, Farmers Weekly managing editor Bryan Gibson speaks with Lisa Rogers, outgoing CEO of Rural Leaders.

Lisa reflects on her nine-year tenure, the evolution of Rural Leaders, and the enduring impact of flagship programmes like Kellogg and Nuffield.

She explores how leadership development, collaboration, and a strong alumni network have helped shape confident, capable leaders across New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.

In this episode of Ideas That Grow, Bryan Gibson, Farmers Weekly Managing Editor, talks to Dr. Victoria Westbrooke, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Land Management and Systems at Lincoln University.

Victoria discusses the Engage Programme, a three-day professional development initiative run in partnership between Lincoln University and Rural Leaders, designed to bridge the gap between agribusiness professionals and on-farm realities.Victoria offers insight into why providing contextual farm knowledge to technology specialists, researchers, environmental professionals, and policy-makers is crucial for helping them apply their expertise effectively.

In this episode of Ideas That Grow, Bryan Gibson, Farmers Weekly managing editor, talks to Richard Green, farmer, director and 2025 Value Chain Innovation Programme alum. 

Richard discusses his background and his Value Chain Innovation Programme experience, and offers keen insight into why understanding value chains and value chain models is so important for anyone wanting to take advantage of the opportunities New Zealand Inc. and farming have to integrate our value chains and think globally.

Thomas Holmes is an arable farmer and a 2024 Kellogg Scholar. In this podcast he talks to Bryan Gibson, Farmers Weekly managing editor, about his family farm’s evolution, overseas experience, his Kellogg research report and his Kellogg experience.
Thomas unpacks his report’s ‘what next’ view of arable farming in Canterbury. He discusses profitability challenges, diversification, and integration with other sectors. Thomas advocates collaboration, mindset change, and leadership from younger farmers to adapt to climate, market, and technological shifts.