This Matariki, the Māori New Year, is a perfect opportunity to reflect, celebrate, share, and plan for the future. Matariki is a time to honour the past, enjoy the present, and plan for the future.
As we celebrate Matariki, we acknowledge the incredible contributions of Māori to the red meat sector and the wider farming community.
Charles Taituha, Pouhere Rautaki Ahuwhenua Māori (Māori Agribusiness Strategy Lead), says the work of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) team is helping to ensure that Whenua Māori continue to thrive not just for today, but for generations to come.
“Matariki is a time to reflect on where we’ve come from and where we’re going. Our team is proud to walk alongside Māori farmers to support their journeys with innovation, sustainability, and community leadership,” he says.
The past Māori year has been one of growth and recognition for Māori agribusiness.
The 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy Competition, New Zealand’s most prestigious award for Māori farming, showcased the excellence of Māori in sheep and beef.
Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust took home the Trophy, while Coby Warmington was named the 2025 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer. Both winners are based in Northland and were celebrated by B+LNZ for their leadership and innovation.
In the last year, B+LNZ established an inaugural Kāhui (Māori agribusiness advisory group) to represent the needs of Whenua Māori entities. The Kāhui acts as a sounding board for B+LNZ extension work and policy positions by providing advice and insights into Māori sheep, beef and dairy farmers’ perspectives, needs and concerns. Get to know the B+LNZ Kāhui members.
Another highlight was Tutumatai Station, which joined B+LNZ’s Whenua Māori Extension Programme as a Hub Farm in March 2024. The programme supports a single farm business over multiple years, testing new technology and measuring its impact. A field day earlier this year drew around 140 people from across the East Coast to learn from the station’s journey.
Looking ahead, the B+LNZ Māori Agribusiness (MAB) team is working closely with regional teams, the Farmer Council, and Kāhui (Māori Agribusiness Advisory group) to shape the 2025/26 Regional Delivery Plans (RDPs). These plans are tailored to reflect the unique needs of each region and are designed to “shift the dial” by focusing on what matters most to local farmers.
Charles says, “Our approach is grounded in listening. We’re working alongside Māori landowners to co-design solutions that are culturally relevant, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable.”
Spotlight on Maramataka (Māori lunar calendar) in farming
B+LNZ organised a few articles celebrating Māori farming to the wider public this Matariki.
Farmers like Mozz Trueman are embracing traditional knowledge systems like Maramataka, the Māori lunar calendar. Used to guide planting, harvesting, and fishing, Maramataka is based on the moon’s phases and its influence on tides and soil moisture.
“Introducing Maramataka into farming gives you a better understanding of the earth's gravitational pull… I think that is more aligned with farming,” says Trueman.
This shift reflects a broader movement within Māori agribusiness that blends ancestral wisdom with modern science to create more holistic, resilient farming systems.
Mozz’s full story will be available on NZ Herald.
The connection between food and Matariki
Matariki is also a time to gather and share kai. The Matariki hākari (feast) is a celebration of the food grown and harvested from the land and Māori farmers play a vital role in feeding the nation.
Māori contribute nearly 40% of New Zealand’s meat processing workforce, and more than 15% of sheep and beef exports come from Māori-owned farms. This contribution is not only economic, it’s cultural, social, and deeply rooted in kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the land).
One standout example is Onenui Station, runner-up in the Ahuwhenua Trophy. Located on the Māhia Peninsula, the station is owned by over 1,000 Māori shareholders and spans 3,476 hectares. It provides employment for local Māori and leases land to Rocket Lab, creating diverse income streams and job opportunities.
The full story profiling Onenui Station will be available soon on Stuff.