Graham Smith: Bringing vast experience to Fed role

Graham Smith says the chance to head an iconic organisation like Federated Farmers was too good to resist.

G'day, I'm Graham.

This is my first column in the National Farming Review as chief executive of Federated Farmers New Zealand.

I thought I'd focus on telling you a little bit about myself, to provide some background and context.

But first a confession. Yes I do have a cross to bear in being an Australian, but I've lived in New Zealand with my family since 2001, so hopefully it gives me some rights of passage and knowledge of New Zealand.

Sometimes I believe we need to remind ourselves that New Zealand is a fantastic country at so many levels; friendly, dynamic, safe and outward looking, wanting to engage with and compete with the rest of the world. Like any country it does have its problems, but the reality is that my wife, Rhonda, and I made a conscious decision to bring our children up in New Zealand ... need I say more.

Before coming to New Zealand, most of my working life was spent in the Australian food industry; firstly as a young economics graduate in the sugar industry, then with a multinational company that produced chocolate and soft drinks, and finally the Australian dairy industry.

In 2001 I joined the New Zealand Crown Research Institute AgResearch and so began my introduction to the dynamic, innovative and export focussed agricultural industry.

Since then I have been involved in developing the Waikato Innovation Park with its focus on agri-technologies and have run one of New Zealand's Crown Research Institutes; the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), which helps keep New Zealand safe and healthy through its forensic, infectious disease and food safety work.

I live on a lifestyle section but would never dare say that I'm a farmer.

The reality is that I've always been interested in the agricultural sector, so the opportunity to join Federated Farmers, one of the iconic agricultural organisations in New Zealand, was one that I could not resist. Like our president Dr William Rolleston, I also have a great interest in science and innovation.

Part of my focus will be to meet a range of farmers and others in the agricultural sector on a regular basis, to "get my hands dirty" to support the Federated Farmers Board and staff to ensure that Federated Farmers continues to build on the excellent work of our previous president Bruce Wills and his board to make a difference.