Hawke's Bay farmer Sam Robinson joins NZ Young Farmers board

Hawke's Bay Farmer Sam Robinson to join board of NZ Young Farmers. Photo/file

Hawke's Bay farmer and agribusiness leader Sam Robinson has been appointed a director of NZ Young Farmers.

Currently on the board of Silver Fern Farms, Mr Robinson also spent nine years as the chairman of AgResearch, and would bring strong governance experience and extensive industry relationships and networks to the role, said NZ Young Farmers chairman Jason Te Brake.

Mr Robinson's first involvement with NZ Young Farmers started in 2000 when he was appointed a trustee of AGMARDT, which provides grants and funding to agribusiness sector.

"I really got to know NZ Young Farmers through AGMARDT's involvement with the Young Farmer of the Year contest," he said.

"It's almost like I've come full circle with my new role."

A major focus of NZ Young Farmers was building strong relationships with schools to showcase careers in the agri-food sector, and it also ran the prestigious FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest, which was celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

"In my due diligence and research for this appointment, I have been impressed with the vibrancy of the organisation," said Mr Robinson.

"NZ Young Farmers has got a good legacy of rural involvement and service to rural communities, and the organisation is really hitting a strong growth point now and it will be great to be associated with that."

The 67-year-old replaced Jeff Grant, who had been on the NZ Young Farmers Board since 2015 and was about to retire.

"Jeff will leave a big hole to fill and securing someone of Sam's calibre is a major coup for our organisation," said Mr Te Brake.

Mr Robinson was also a director of the Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company and had a hill country sheep and beef farm near Waipukurau, which was managed by an equity partner.

A former chairman of meat processor Richmond, he was also a past director of the Port of Napier, Farmlands and AsureQuality.

His initial term on the NZ Young Farmers board was for one year.