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Connecting with food, fibre sectors

Connecting with food, fibre sectors
Lincoln graduates, Jake Jarman and Kate MacDonald, discuss their career paths in the food and fibre sectors.

Forming connections with future employers and celebrating academic achievement were on the menu for 160 students at Lincoln University’s inaugural Food and Fibre Awards and Networking Dinner.
Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, presented awards to the top academic achievers in selected study programmes, with 25 food and fibre sector organisations sponsoring tables and a range of industry representatives on hand to meet prospective employees.
Two successful Lincoln graduates also attended to take part in a panel discussion about the challenges and opportunities in the sector.
Industry attendees came from organisations including Fonterra, Farmlands, AgResearch, Ravensdown, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Perrin Ag Consultants Ltd, Horticulture New Zealand, PGG Wrightson, DairyNZ and ANZCO Foods Limited.
Vice-chancellor Professor Grant Edwards said it was exciting to finally have the chance to recognise student achievement and partner with industry to facilitate meaningful connections.
“Lincoln’s graduate employment rate is higher than that of any other university in the country, which reflects our commitment to producing work-ready graduates to help drive innovation in the food and fibre sectors.
“This event was a wonderful way to showcase potential career opportunities to our students and introduce employers to some of our best and brightest future industry leaders.
“We were also proud to acknowledge the academic success of our top performing students and hear from alumni whose Lincoln education has helped them to flourish in their chosen fields,” he said.
The evening began with a networking hour, followed by messages from Professor Edwards and Minister O’Connor, and a Q&A session with Lincoln graduates, Kate MacDonald and Jake Jarman.
A fifth-generation farmer at Davaar Station, MacDonald completed her Bachelor of Agribusiness and Food Marketing at Lincoln in 2017 and has gone on to found Davaar & Co, a luxury farm-to-fashion brand.
The business uses crossbred sheep wool grown exclusively at Davaar Station to produce and manufacture woollen jerseys, with the entire production process completed in New Zealand.
Sustainable and ethical practices are at the core of the brand, which MacDonald runs full time as its creative director.
Jarman was born and bred in Taranaki on his family’s dairy farm, completing his Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) at Lincoln in 2018 and winning the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition in 2021.
He now works for ANZ, recently moving into an agri relationship manager role after spending the past 18 months as an agri relationship associate.

  • By Pat Deavoll