Scene + Herd: Podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Rural Advancement Scholarship recipient and Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme graduate Di Roadley shares insights from her research project, The Craft of Setting the Table Well. Exploring the role of effective governance in catchment groups, Di discusses how strong leadership, collaboration, and clear direction can help turn community aspirations into meaningful action and lasting impact.

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Rural Leadership Advancement Scholarship.

The Craft of Setting the Table Well.

Being awarded a 2026 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Rural Advancement Scholarship challenged Tessa Miller and Sam Mann to think differently about their farming businesses. In this episode, they share key insights and "aha" moments from the New Zealand Rural Leaders Value Chain Innovation Programme, and discuss how a better understanding of the value chain is shaping their thinking back on farm.

Read more here: Rural Leadership Advancement Scholarship.

As a Beef + Lamb New Zealand Rural Advancement Scholarship recipient, Julia Hardwick-Smith shares how the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme challenged her thinking and is influencing decisions on her family farm. She also discusses the surprising findings from her research into triplet lamb survivability and what they could mean for sheep farmers.

Read more here:

Rural Leadership Advancement Scholarship.

Julia's full report.

100 years since New Zealand began exporting red meat to North America. It’s a relationship that’s gone from tentative early shipments to one of our most important and enduring trade partnerships.

To unpack that story and what it means for the future, we're joined by Ali Spencer and Mick Calder, who helped document this journey in Trusted, Lean and Long Game, (PDF, 4.12MB).

With scanning results arriving across the country, this podcast provides practical advice for farmers with high numbers of twin and triplet-bearing ewes. Senior Scientist from Bio Economy Science Institute (BSI) David Stevens combines the science with practical farming systems, while North Otago Farmer Julian Prices share what's happening on-farm and the questions himself and the South Canterbury Lamb Survivability Focus Group are asking.

Recorded 20 July 2026.