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The national council meets quarterly to consider matters of industry interest as well as issues raised by the regional branches.
Within the national council there are six sub-committees covering: health and safety, transport, fertiliser and lime, training, membership and Spreadmark.
The regional branches meet regularly and set their own agendas. Each branch elects its own chairman and committee members.
Keep up to date with what’s happening with Groundspread NZ (NZGFA).
Graeme has served as the Groundspread NZ President since June 2021.
Graeme sees his role as one of advocacy for all members with one strong voice for the industry. No matter the size of your business, Graeme says that the association is here to support, guide and represent you.
In his spare time, Graeme loves to get out fishing on his boat and play tennis. But he is always available for Groundspread NZ members and encourages you to get in touch, “no problem is too small but don’t forget to bring me a solution to that problem with you”.
Gordon manages Brown & Shanley Bulk Spreading in the Waikato. He is an electrician by trade and only came home to the family business to fill in for a season; that has been a very long season now (15 years)!
Gordon joined the council with a strong will to fight for what is right and represent every member, no matter the size of the business. He believes that the association is vital to the industry in keeping up professionalism, not only for operators but for farmers and the industry as a whole.
Gordon is passionate about Association membership and the support that Groundspread NZ can provide groundspread operators throughout New Zealand. The membership portfolio has been re-established this year (2022) due to his passion for attracting new members.
If you have any initiatives that you would like to see Gordon consider in this space then you can contact him at membership@groundspreadnz.com
If you have any operators in your area that you would like him to contact about membership, then please get in touch.
Stephen works for RTL in Otago and became a council member to develop and improve the groundspread industry to help add far more value to all stakeholders.
He sees the council’s role to be one of deep engagement with members and assisting them by sharing his skills and knowledge of the industry.
As a Charitable Trust Trustee, Stephen continuously seeks opportunities to help with driver training days, which is the trust’s main purpose.
Now also holding the Training Portfolio, Stephen is in a prime position to ensure that the Trust is knowledgeable about a variety of different training opportunities across the industry. He encourages members with ideas on how this money could best benefit Groundspread NZ members to get in touch via email with their proposals at trust@groundspreadnz.com
Not only is Stephen hardcore about groundspreading, but he is also passionate about hard enduro dirt bike riding, proving he is not scared of a challenge!
Nick is the owner-operator of Hyslop Groundspread in Oamaru but is a member of the Canterbury branch with the topography in North Otago more like Canterbury’s.
Nick joined the council as a delegate in June 2021 and held the Lime & Fertiliser Portfolio for his first term.
Nick now holds the Spreadmark portfolio (shared with Graeme in the North). This newly established (2022) portfolio was created as environmental and regulatory challenges are faced by groundspread clients.
The Spreadmark scheme will continue to thrive in this space, so to ensure that the golden days of fertiliser spreading are ahead of us, and not behind us, he believes that it is crucial that Groundspread NZ is helping to guide/promote the scheme on behalf of all members. Nick sees huge potential for groundspreaders in this space, as leaders and promoters of best practice spreading.
Nick is also a volunteer firefighter for the Waitaki Rural Fire Force and has been a crew leader for the past nine years.
Toby was the 2021 winner of the Ravensdown Young Achiever’s Award.
Toby drives for Brooks Spreading and has been working towards developing his career in the groundspread industry, while also seeing the value in promoting the groundspread industry in a positive light in the community.
He attends both local and national Groundspread NZ meetings and sees them as an opportunity to network and learn from others in the industry.
Toby brings many skills with him to the H&S portfolio, he is extremely capable and organized, has strong time management skills, and is keen to continue the great work ongoing in the H&S space in the groundspread industry.
Dean is a Life Member of the Association who cares deeply about the future of the groundspread industry.
Dean (and wife Sarah) have operated Brooks Spreading, covering the top of the South Island, for 20 years.
Dean has served as national president and on the national council for a number of years.
Dean holds the Transport portfolio this term, but he knows a lot about every aspect of the industry, so he is a great man to pick up the phone and call on any matter.
Members can reach Dean via the transport portfolio email at transport@groundspreadnz.com
The association employs Rose as the Executive Officer. She is also a managing director of Hyslop Groundspread in Oamaru.
Rose sees the role of the national council as one of advocacy, and to do this effectively, greater engagement and communication is needed, “there is strength in numbers and the association is well placed for being the voice of an incredibly technologically and environmentally savvy industry”.
Rose is on-hand to support the branches and work with members on all levels. You can contact Rose via email at eo@groundspreadnz.com or on her cell 027 214 1790.
Jessie has been employed at Spreading Sandfords for the last eight years in a variety of roles including Livestock Manager, Health and Safety, and Human Resources Manager.
Jessie’s background is dairy farming having been a 50/50 sharemilker with her husband.
Jessie became involved with the Taranaki branch from a Health and Safety perspective and coincidently has been allocated the H&S portfolio for National Council alongside Toby Evans (Nelson/Marlborough branch).
Jessie found the branch forum a great opportunity to learn from a more practical standpoint and engage with likeminded people looking for solutions rather than a tick box exercises.
With a wealth of knowledge within our industry, Jessie would like to help facilitate all of this information with better communication to all branches and ensuring we do our best to set solid industry standards that are achievable and practical for everyone to work with.
Jessie and Toby can be contacted about health and safety matters on h&s@groundspreadnz.com
Howard is the owner-operator of Pedersen Spreaders in the Central Districts. He served as VP in 2021/2022 and currently holds the Training Portfolio for the national council.
Howard believes that a strong membership improves an organisation, and that is where you can help – have a great training idea that has worked well and been well-received by your branch? How about sending the blueprint through to Howard and Stephen at training@groundspreadnz.com to share with others looking to do something in this area. Vice versa, if you are looking for training ideas, Howard should be your first point of contact, “if members have any queries, then we can support them”.
Howard started his spreading business 22 years ago, and he is just as passionate about the industry today as he was then and believes that the camaraderie and development from the association is a large part of that continued enthusiasm.
I’ve been in the spreading industry for 9 years now. My wife Anna and I own and run Jackson Spreading in Ashburton, with my parents Dusty and Alison.
I have an interest in technology and see the benefit in the use of many technologies combining to better the groundspread industry.
We all have a part to play, from product to the gear we are using. In my spare time I enjoy time with the family, generally on the water somewhere.
Jon sees his new portfolio as a ‘strength in numbers’ portfolio, “if someone is having a product issue in their area, then the chances that it is happening somewhere else is pretty high”. If everyone was passing on these concerns through the main email for this portfolio lime&fert@groundspreadnz.com then him and Graeme are better able to present a stronger case to fertiliser representatives at a national level. This helps individual operators being told that they are the only ones having issues, “this portfolio has real power in numbers to promote change”. Conversely, product successes and tips/tricks could be more widely circulated amongst members if they share their knowledge; again, members should contact Jon and Graeme via this email address.
Kylie has been employed within the primary industries for the last 5 years with Graymont NZ. Kylie has a passion for all things edible, so being part of NZ’s paddock to plate journey is a good fit for her, “it’s my happy place – especially when shared with family and friends”.
Her role at Graymont moved predominantly into the agricultural sector 4 years ago and she was welcomed into the Waikato Groundspread Association branch wholeheartedly. She says that this has been a great environment to nurture her passion for the industry and she feels privileged to have been nominated and selected by them to represent the Waikato on the National Council.
Kylie is passionate about health and safety (she passionately fronts the Graymont team’s support of the annual Health and Safety award for our Association). So, it was a natural fit for her to be part of the National Health and Safety portfolio with Jessie and Toby.
She believes we need to have an increased focus on the health aspect of ‘Health and Safety’ – especially mental health and well- being. This will ensure we have a strong safety performance, “with focus on this area, improvements across Health and Safety will become part of our natural culture. A strong mind leads to strong performance”.
“My Husband and I have owned our own businesses and I understand the commitment this entails. My goal in this role is to have a positive impact within Council, develop resources across the portfolio and share in your successes as an Industry.”
Outside of work you will find Kylie hanging out with her dogs (3) and family, “I probably should spend a little more time learning to tie knots for my fishing rod – a new past time that I love”.
Kylie says not to be strangers – and that she is always happy to hear from you, “if I can assist with steering you in the right direction, I am fulfilling my role”.
Tina works at Te Anau Healy out of her office in ‘The Key’.
Tina is passionate about her role on National Council, she wants to see progress made in the industry, and to be part of the team that can do it.
“We have an awesome association and I believe with the right people we can Lead, Promote and Enhance Groundspread and Spreadmark and hopefully get our message out to NZ that there is value in getting behind this association.”
She also wants to see more women in this industry and believes that by creating a safe space for them to bring their skills and value to the table, anything is possible.
Good communication is the key between Branch and Council for the association to move ahead, “better communication from members and working on solutions together to have a better outcome, not just around meeting times, but throughout the year. Everyone having a voice to speak up to us but also be part of the solution moving forward”.
Grant is the Dispatch Manager and shareholder in a JV with HWR in Southland.
Grant has held many roles on the National Council over the 11 years that he has served in this space. Most recently, he was VP for several years and held the Health & Safety Portfolio.
Grant is passionate about the association leading the way with Health & Safety and conducted industry research in this area during his time involved in that portfolio. He encourages members to engage with H&S portfolio reps Jessie, Toby and/or Kylie after incidents so that we can implement the lessons learned in these into industry-wide training to help keep our operators safe, "a safer industry can be achieved with better communication and by working together to seek solutions".
The Training Portfolio is the natural progression for Grant who wants to take all that he has learnt in the H&S space and provide real-life solutions for the industry.
Grant is a massive car enthusiast, so ask him about his hot-rod build when you get in touch!
