Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) congratulates the four food and fibre sector leaders awarded 2025 Nuffield New Zealand Farming Scholarships, including three with significant involvement in B+LNZ’s Farmer Council.
“These scholars highlight the exceptional representation of sheep and beef farmers and reflect B+LNZ’s commitment to supporting leadership in agriculture through its partnership with the B+LNZ Farmer Council and New Zealand Rural Leaders Trust,” says Paul Crick, B+LNZ Farmer Council Chair.
Alan McDermott, a B+LNZ Northern South Island Farmer Councillor, is the founder of Pearl Pastures, which works with dairy farmers to produce rose veal from surplus dairy calves. Pearl Veal is sold to premier restaurants in New Zealand and internationally, combining McDermott’s values of sustainability, animal wellbeing, and quality food production. “Alan is an outstanding contributor to our extension programme in the region,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, B+LNZ NSI Extension Manager. “As a co-opted council member, he’s doing amazing things with Pearl Veal, and we’re excited to see where his Nuffield journey takes him.”
Dani Darke, formerChair of B+LNZ’s Mid Northern North Island Farmer Council, farms a 630ha sheep and beef operation in Aria, Waitomo, with her husband and three daughters. She is passionate about promoting sustainable and profitable farm businesses that support vibrant rural communities. “Rural communities make up the heart of New Zealand and I want to be part of ensuring this way of life continues for generations to come,” says Darke, adding that she values time spent with the “doers” in rural areas who make things happen.
Lisa Portas, is a south Wairarapa regenerative sheep and beef farmer and is married to Eastern North Island Farmer Council member Kurt Portas. At Palliser Ridge, she leads diversification initiatives, including agri-tourism, exports, manufacturing, and managing brand strategy. A recent milestone for Lisa has been securing contracts for their entire 40-tonne wool clip at prices covering shearing costs, a testament to her passion for promoting natural fibres. She looks forward to exploring the international landscape of the strong wool industry.
Jon Pemberton, his wife Birgit and their three school-aged children operate two dairy farms either side of Edendale, Southland. B+LNZ has also worked closely with Pemberton, who chairs AgProud and has collaborated on initiatives such as National Lamb Day, celebrating New Zealand’s agricultural heritage and farmers’ contributions to the economy. Pemberton also holds roles with Environment Southland, the Three Rivers Catchment, and Edendale Aquifer groups. His engagement with Nuffield alumni motivated him to apply for this scholarship.
Learn more about each scholar on the Nuffield website. Each recipient receives $50,000 for their research and international travel. The goal is to enable scholars to use new ideas and insights from their research and travels to positively influence decisions that affect the Food and Fibre Sector and our rural communities.
The announcement came at an event in Wellington hosted by Horticulture Minister Nicola Grigg and the New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust.
The Nuffield Scholarships are funded by Rural Leaders’ Strategic Partners DairyNZ, FMG, Mackenzie Charitable Foundation, AGMARDT, and programme partners Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Farmlands, LIC, Rabobank, the Foundation for Arable Research, Horticulture NZ and Zespri.
Learn more about B+LNZ’s Farmer Council here.
L-R: Alan McDermott, Dani Darke, Prime Minister Christopher Luxton, Lisa Portas and Jon Pemberton.
L-R: Alan McDermott, Dani Darke, Ben Hancock – B+LNZ Senior Policy Insights Analyst and Nuffield Alumni, Lisa Portas and Jon Pemberton.