Jason Te Brake youngest EPI scholarship recipient

Jason Te Brake is the 2017 Emerging Primary Industries Scholarship recipient.

New Zealand Young Farmers chairperson Jason Te Brake is the youngest recipient ever to receive the prestigious Emerging Primary Industries Scholarship.

Announced at Fieldays, the scholarship is a partnership between the Ministry for Primary Industries, in conjunction with AGMARDT and the Te Hono Movement and is a prestigious accolade for young leaders.

Mr Te Brake, who grew up in Arohena, will now attend the 2017 Te Hono Movement Stanford Bootcamp.

"I'm honoured to be one of the youngest to receive the scholarship," says Mr Te Brake.

"It's a huge privilege and the collaboration across the food industry at senior levels that it offers is important in terms of adding value and prosperity to the industry. It's a fantastic opportunity to spend time at a world-renown university."

A board member of NZ Young Farmers for four years, and the organisation's current chairperson, Mr Te Brake has displayed outstanding governance leadership in a period of change.

He has also graduated from the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme and has a chartered accounting and finance background.

NZ Young Farmers CEO Terry Copeland says the scholarship reinforced the significant role the organisation plays in providing tomorrow's leaders in the Primary Industry.

"We continue to strive to develop leaders who will make a vital impact and we are immensely proud of Jason's achievements to date.

"He has shown outstanding leadership within our organisation and we are delighted to see him expand that capability further."

"To be the youngest recipient of the scholarship shows the depth of maturity and professionalism he and many of our members display on an ongoing basis and we believe our organisation is key to developing future leaders that will add value to the primary sector."

The purpose of the scholarship is to recognise those leaders who demonstrate the best potential to make a difference as a senior leader in the primary industries, and to support their continuing professional development and is designed to enhance innovation, value add, and leadership across the primary industries.