Finding balance: What young farmers can teach us about the future

Finding balance: What young farmers can teach us about the future

In a world where the pace of change feels relentless, finding balance has become one of the greatest challenges. Especially for young people carving out their places in Aotearoa’s food and fibre sector.

When we caught up with Cheyne Gillooly, CEO of NZ Young Farmers, his insights revealed both the opportunities and tension in this moment. At the heart of it all is purpose – helping people find their place. That’s the driving force behind NZ Young Farmers, an organisation now nearing 100 years old, yet constantly renewed by fresh members and fresh ideas.

“The purpose of NZ Young Farmers is simple,” says Cheyne. “It’s to help people find their place in their career, their community, or within themselves so they know who they are, that they’re valued, and that they can make a difference.”

That legacy, paired with the organisation’s constantly changing membership, gives it the rare ability to evolve with the times. “We’ve got an old head and a constantly renewing heart. We can take risks, try new things, and keep growing as our members grow.”

The evolution of food and fibre

Farming today is very different to how it looked a generation ago. Where once success depended primarily on physical skill and local knowledge, modern agriculture now demands entrepreneurial thinking, social awareness, and global connection.

“Our young people are incredibly aware,” says Cheyne. “They understand market dynamics and consumer perceptions. They know where their products go, who buys them, and what those people care about. They’re connected to the world in a way no generation of farmers has been before.”

That awareness is reshaping how farming looks and feels. Alongside traditional technical skills, today’s young farmers need to navigate technology, data, science, and communication. It’s a shift that brings both opportunity and responsibility to this sector. And, as Cheyne points out, a unique level of humility and bravery.

“They’re not afraid of trying something new, or of failing and getting back up again. That courage, paired with genuine care for people and place, is what sets our sector apart.”

He sees young farmers forming their own communities of learning, connecting online and in person to share ideas and push boundaries. Yet, at times, the formal education system still lags behind the reality of modern farming. Cheyne believes the future lies in micro-learning, on-farm experiences, and lifelong development, creating a new kind of learning that flexes as fast as the sector itself.

A redemptive place

There’s another quality that makes Aotearoa’s food and fibre sector extraordinary: its ability to offer second chances.

Cheyne describes it as a redemptive place; a space where people can rebuild, reinvent, and rise again. Farming skills can take people anywhere in New Zealand, or indeed the world. “With farming, you can reinvent yourself multiple times,” he says.

Many of the sector’s most inspiring people, from Ahuwhenua trophy winners to Young Farmer of the Year champions, have overcome huge obstacles to get where they are. “So many come from challenging backgrounds,” Cheyne explains. “Some were told at school they’d never make it, or they lost their way before finding their footing again. Our sector gives them that chance.”

At AWDT, that story is deeply familiar. We’ve seen it echoed through the journeys of hundreds of wāhine who’ve completed our programmes: women who have faced hardship or self-doubt, and discovered their strength and purpose through connection, learning, and courage. Their stories, like those Cheyne tells, remind us that growth often begins in the most unexpected places.

The cost of climbing too fast

Cheyne also reflected on a growing pressure in rural leadership: the drive to fast-track young people into senior roles. While well-intentioned, it can come at a cost.

“There’s a big difference between leadership and governance,” he says. “We’re seeing talented young people promoted into board seats before they’ve had enough time to explore leadership, make the important mistakes, and learn sideways.”

That rush can erode confidence, wellbeing, and the sense of curiosity that great leaders are built on. By his own admission, Cheyne’s career is made up of a series of sideways moves driven by learning and growth, rather than title. He says this has given him the breadth and perspective he values most. It’s a reminder that growth doesn’t always mean moving up; sometimes it means expanding out.

Wellbeing and belonging

In rural communities, wellbeing is intertwined with connection. While the statistics on youth mental health are sobering, Cheyne is optimistic. Across the country, he’s seeing a resurgence of in-person connection: club nights, volunteering, and community events. “After Covid, people are craving that person-to-person contact. They’re finding their place again.”

Undoubtedly, this message will resonate deeply for many. The future of agriculture depends not only on technical skill and innovation but on the emotional and relational wellbeing of those leading it. Supporting young people means seeing them not just as future leaders, but as whole people who are still learning and finding their way.

Creating space to GROW

As Cheyne puts it, the best gift we can give young people in food and fibre is a chance. A chance to learn, to lead, and to find their place in their own time.

Support them, but don’t rush them. Invite them in, to conversations, to communities, to decision-making spaces. Show them the depth and diversity of opportunity that exists in our sector.

Because when young people have the confidence, wellbeing, and breadth of experience to lead with purpose, our rural communities, and our country, thrives.