We have invested in our in-region team of specialists to improve the quality of advice in order to help you maximise productivity and profitability in your part of the world.

Supporting our Agri Managers across the country are seven agronomists based in the regions who can assist with technical knowledge about seed and agchem products and associated management.

---

Blair Cotching

Product Manger, Seeds

Blair has over 10 years’ experience in the seed industry. He has been involved with researching new and existing forage lines and in commercial roles. He joined the Ravensdown agchem team in late 2012 which further enhanced his agronomy knowledge.

Currently Blair plays a support and training role for Agronomists and Agri Managers and has a real passion for lifting production through the use of new, and sometimes novel, forages and management options.

George Kerse

Product Manager, Agrochemicals

George draws on many years’ experience from a number of R&D and commercial roles in the agchem and farm supply industry and has a passion for finding farm-specific solutions for weed and pest problems that can have a significant effect on pasture and crop production.

George is a key member of the team providing support and training for Agronomists and Agri Managers to provide practical solutions to weed and pest issues

---

Regional Agronomists

Fraser Belgrave

Upper North Island

Fraser was previously an Agri Manager with a passion for agronomy, providing a complete agronomy picture including fertiliser, agchem, seed and management.

Fraser’s aims are to help farmers lift production through use of better pastures and effective cropping at tactical times of the year to fill feed deficits, increasing farm profitability.

James Bryan

Central North Island

Like Fraser, James was an Agri Manager with very good practical fertiliser knowledge, combined with a passion and skill for seed and agchem. Having worked on local and overseas farms, James has experience from a wide range of farming systems giving him a broad knowledge to provide the best advice for individual farms.

Kay Nitschke

Western North Island

With 10 years as a Ravensdown Agri Manager, Kay moved into the agronomy role to provide the ‘full solution’ for farmers looking at regrassing or cropping. Kay is extremely driven and has a real energy about agronomy that motivates others. Kay is a valuable member of the Western North Island team providing fertiliser, seed and agchem support for Agri Managers and farmers.

Jeremy Klingender

Eastern North Island

Jeremy has been involved in the rural industry for a number of years, with strengths in agronomy. He joined Ravensdown in 2011 as an Agchem Technical Manager with many years in the field looking after forage crops, pastures and brassicas for corporate farmers to lifestyle blocks, from very summer-dry areas like the East Coast to summer safe areas like the Central Plateau.

Dan Pavey

Upper South Island

Dan worked for rural merchants in Darfield, Ashburton and Marlborough before joining Ravensdown as an Agchem Technical Manager prior to joining the agronomy team. He’s interested in legumes, pastures and viticulture and enjoys seeing maximum returns from investing in new pastures.

Chris Lowe

Central South Island

Chris worked for Ravensdown as a senior field officer between 2001- 2005 previously in South Otago; prior to returning to England to complete an MSc in crop protection. He then worked as an agronomist for Agrii looking after 7,000ha of crops in the West Midlands.

Chris came back to NZ before starting with Ravensdown late last year. He gets a kick out of helping shareholders farm with greater certainty, providing technical knowledge based on the latest scientific evidence.

Huw Murray

Lower South Island

Huw is the newest agronomy team member growing up on a farm just out of Tekapo and coming from a strong seed background in both research and sales. Huw’s knowledge in both dry-land and summer-safe areas is excellent and he enjoys working with farmers to get the best out of pastures and crops.

Huw’s goals are to ensure shareholders get maximum benefit from Ravensdown’s technical resources and from being a part of the co-operative