The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Central Taranaki Young Farmers club member Jessie Waite elected for national board

Alyssa Smith
By Alyssa Smith
Multimedia journalist - Lower North Island·Stratford Press·
15 Jul, 2020 03:03 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Jessie Waite has recently been elected as a New Zealand Young Farmers board member. Photo / Supplied

Jessie Waite has recently been elected as a New Zealand Young Farmers board member. Photo / Supplied

For Taranaki woman Jessie Waite, a trip to Mount Cook was the motivator for joining Young Farmers eight years ago.

She has now recently been elected for the New Zealand Young Farmers board, a goal she has had since she joined.

"It was announced at the Young Farmers AGM, on July 4, which took place over a Zoom call. I was watching the call with my mother, Heather Anderson. When my name was announced it was an overwhelming feeling. The rest of the meeting was a blur after that," Jessie says.

She says it was nice to share the news with her mother.

"It was really cool, she gave me a hug and the first thing she said was 'I knew you could do it'."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Jessie grew up in Taranaki spending her teenage years in Lepperton. She says while she didn't live on a farm herself, she was very much a part of the rural community.

"I spent a lot of time at my neighbours' place feeding out and shifting breaks. I was 16 when I began taking interest in the primary sector."

Jessie studied agricultural studies at New Plymouth Girls' High School and also completed land-based training.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She studied a diploma of journalism at WITT, working at the Stratford Press for two years before moving to Oamaru to work for their community paper.

It was in Oamaru that Jessie became a member of the Young Farmers.

"I joined Five Forks. Originally joined Young Farmers so I could go on a trip with my friends for their annual club trip to Mount Cook, but I soon got involved in the club, and I've never looked back."

She became the chairwoman of Five Forks and was elected onto the Aorangi regional committee.

She says Young Farmers has helped with her personal development.

"I've gained more confidence and leadership skills. My public speaking has improved, I can run a meeting, crutch a sheep, I've competed in district contests, had a variety of leadership roles and met amazing people.

"I don't think any of this would be possible without the Young Farmers."

Jessie moved back to New Plymouth in 2016 and is now a part of the Central Taranaki Young Farmers Club. She is publicity officer for the club.

She has had a number of roles in Taranaki, including Secretary of the Taranaki District Young Farmers and chairwoman of Taranaki/Manawatu Regional Young Farmers.

"I was chair for two years before I stood down to stand for the board. However, it was the right time for me to go and a great person has taken my place."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Becoming a member of the board has been a long term goal for Jessie.

"This year felt like the year to put my name forward. Being on the board is a big deal and I wanted to make sure I was 100 per cent ready."

She says being on the Taranaki Dairy Trust Board and her involvement with Young Farmers gave her the experience she needed.

"Being on the Dairy Trust board helped me understand what being part of a board meant. My time with the Young Farmers has given me the understanding of the needs and values of the members."

She says it is an honour to be elected.

"It's still so overwhelming but I'm really happy with the result."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Jessie is still passionate about the primary sector, having three jobs in the industry.

"I'm the provincial office manager for Taranaki Federated Farmers, regional co-ordinator of the Taranaki Ballance Farm Environment Awards and super admin for Grass Roots Media. I love being busy, it's great to be involved in things."

In 2018, Jessie was awarded the New Zealand Young Farmers Excellence Award.

"It was a big moment for me. All the work I've done for Young Farmers is volunteer work. I didn't expect anything from it, but to get acknowledged with such a high honour is amazing."

She says she encourages people to join a Young Farmers club.

"You gain so much out of being a member. It's a neat way to meet people, make connections and gain some skills. The friends you make are the friends you have for life."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'Lunacy': Farmers fight cuts to Taranaki agriculture courses

The Country

Rural community 'in shock' as industrial park greenlit

Premium
The Country

More than half of Crown Regional Holdings' loan book flagged as 'at risk'


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

'Lunacy': Farmers fight cuts to Taranaki agriculture courses
The Country

'Lunacy': Farmers fight cuts to Taranaki agriculture courses

WITT plans to scrap agriculture courses, worrying the Taranaki farming community.

16 Jul 10:23 PM
Rural community 'in shock' as industrial park greenlit
The Country

Rural community 'in shock' as industrial park greenlit

16 Jul 09:04 PM
Premium
Premium
More than half of Crown Regional Holdings' loan book flagged as 'at risk'
The Country

More than half of Crown Regional Holdings' loan book flagged as 'at risk'

16 Jul 08:54 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP