Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is pleased to announce Grace Pettit (Tararua) and Carey Pawson-Edwards (South Canterbury) have been selected to represent New Zealand in the 2026 Global Sheep Forum Next Generation programme, to be held in Adelaide, Australia from 5–10 July 2026, alongside the Australian sheep industry’s LambEx event.
The Global Sheep Forum Next Generation programme brings together emerging sheep industry leaders from partner countries to build capability, share knowledge, and strengthen connections across the global sheep sector.
The programme is made up of two interlinked parts: All participants will first take part in a series of online leadership masterclasses, designed to build foundational skills in communication, advocacy, collaboration, values-based leadership and global awareness. Program participants will then form international project groups made up of members from partner countries. Each group will select a key area of sheep production to explore, collaborate online throughout the program, and present their collective insights virtually to the Global Sheep Forum following the in-person Australian visit.
Secondly, participants visit a partner country, with the 2026 visit hosted by Australia. This will include visits to farms, processors, and other parts of the sheep supply chain before attending Australia's LambEx conference in South Australia, their major sheep industry event which is run biennially. Lastly, the group will return to New Zealand for 3 days of industry visits, providing an opportunity to highlight New Zealand’s sheep industry.
Grace Pettit
Grace is passionate about helping people in rural communities foster connection to build wellbeing, confidence and resilience.
She lives in the Tararua District, where she and her fiancée run their 700-hectare family sheep and beef farm. Alongside farming, Grace works in digital marketing and has served on the B+LNZ Eastern North Island Farmer Council as a co-opted member since 2024.
Grace’s strengths in empathy, coordination and communication have lead to her developing a keen interest in the social and cultural nuance of farming. Lead by her values of hope, growth and generosity she wishes to better understand the role of the sheep sector in domestic food sovereignty.’
Carey Pawson‑Edwards
Carey is a Stock Manager at Lone Star Farms’ Caberfeidh Station in the Hakataramea Valley, South Canterbury. He helps lead a large-scale sheep and beef breeding and finishing operation running 14,500 breeding ewes and finishing around 30,000 lambs annually, supplying premium programmes including Lumina Lamb.
Originally from Christchurch, Carey entered the industry through the Coleridge Downs cadetship programme and progressed quickly into leadership roles. His experience spans sheep breeding, finishing systems, and supply programmes that connect New Zealand farms directly with international markets.
Carey is passionate about strengthening the global sheep value chain and believes the future of the industry relies on consistency of supply, strong collaboration between farmers and processors, and farm systems designed with the customer in mind.
About Next Generation Global Sheep Forum
The Next Generation Global Sheep Forum is part of the Global Sheep Producers Forum (GSPF), a collaborative initiative aimed at fostering sustainable practices in the global sheep industry. The programme brings together young sheep farmers from the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada, offering a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and skill development.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand is a founding member of the Global Sheep Forum and is funding the two New Zealand Next Generation participants’ costs to be a part of the programme.