Our team of environmental specialists

Ravensdown's team of agri managers and environmental specialists, supported by the Customer Centre, are here to help with all your on-farm nutrient, environmental and sustainability needs.

Collectively, our team of environmental specialists have many years of experience consulting on farm environmental matters. In fact, some even run their own farms, so they know first-hand the issues you are facing. 

Hamish Allan

Farm Environmental Consultantcy Manager 
BSc, PGDip Env. Mngmnt, Certified NMA

As a purpose driven and growth orientated leader, I’m excited to be leading the Ravensdown Environmental Services Business. With the sector moving into a new phase of constrained optimisation, having a trusted advisory team to support navigation of new regulatory changes and best practice on-farm is critical. Leaning on my experience in general and commercial management, my focus is on ensuring the team is supported to deliver tailored advisory services for customers and shareholders.

Suzanne Light

Business Operations Manager (Environmental) B. Appl Mgt

I have a genuine interest in the agricultural sector, working for Ravensdown for over 20 years and joining the environmental journey in 2014. The waves of regulation over this time have seen the need for farmers to be agile in their approach to farming to support the future sustainability of their farming operations. My primary focus is to manage the procedural operations for our consultants to help them deliver and maintain environmental compliance for farmers.

Colin Tyler

North Island Managing Principal                          B.Agr.Sc, PGDip Bus Admin (Mgmt), Certified NMA

I have been involved in farming all my life - as a sheep and beef farmer in Central Hawke's Bay, and in a variety of roles in the rural industry. Recently my career has focused on how environmental regulations have become part of farming businesses, returning to Ravensdown to help shareholders understand and meet their requirements.

Hannah Foster

South Island Managing Principal 
BSc, PGDip Env. Mngmnt, Certified NMA

I have spent much of my working life directly or indirectly involved in the agricultural sector. I am passionate about helping my customers meet their ever-changing environmental and regulatory requirements as well as looking at options to best achieve their goals with science-based advice specific to their business.

 

Kelly Morris

Technical Principal
B Appl Sci (Ag) (Hon), Certified NMA

I am passionate about our agricultural industry. Both the quality products we produce, and the passion, knowledge and technology that is used to produce these products in a sustainable way. I like to work with my customers and offer them science based advice specific to their business to help them achieve their farming goals.

Kat Todd

Principal Consultant
BAppSc (EnvMgt), Dip Marine Studies

I understand the pressures farmers are facing and am committed to helping my customers to achieve their aspirations. With a strong compliance & consenting background, I have the skillset to help farmers navigate the current climate of evolving environmental regulatory requirements. My experience working with Kaupapa Māori provided me an understanding of the complexities involved to ensure the best outcome for the operation, the trustees, and the whenua.

Ruth Prankerd

Principal Consultant
B AppSci (Agribusiness)

I love working in the primary sector and have been dairy farming for over 15 years. I’ve enjoyed a fulfilling career as a Rural Professional working alongside farmers in different aspects of their business.  This has enabled me to grow a well-rounded understanding of the pressures of farming and the benefits of sustainability. Helping farmers overcome challenges to maximise efficiencies within their farming operations is what I really strive for. Front-footing the environmental challenges by making farmers’ businesses more resilient is something I’m passionate about.

Anna Macdonald

Principal Consultant 
PhD, BSc (Hons)

With a research background in nutrient management and diverse pastures I enjoy working with farmers to achieve the best possible science-based outcomes for their businesses and the environment. In recent years I have enjoyed working with farmers in both Agri Manager and Environmental Consultant roles.

Nick Sharpe

Farm Environmental Consultant
B.Mgt (Agribusiness)

I was born and raised in the heart of the Waikato and have been a part of the rural sector my entire life. My career to date has given me experience working with farmers to help navigate and understand their regulatory requirements. I have a passion for making things easier for farmers and strive to achieve favourable economic and environmental outcomes. 

Sophie McClenaghan

Farm Environmental Consultant
BSc (Biology), Certified NMA

I am passionate about our agricultural industry and learning about new products and ideas that will sustain farming in our future. Since leaving university I have been involved in a variety of roles that feed into different parts of the agricultural industry in Canterbury. I enjoy helping farmers navigate their ever-changing regulatory requirements while also achieving farm specific business and environmental goals using science-based advice.

 

Tim Sheed

Farm Environmental Consultant
B.Ag, M.Mgmt.Agrib

After growing up on a sheep and beef farm in South Canterbury I am passionate about agriculture and motivated to help farmers overcome environmental constraints. I want to help farmers overcome the challenges of modern faming to maximise the efficiencies within their farming operations. I have been drawn into the environmental field as I see this as a space that farmers require support in. 

 

Leah Dodd

Environmental Administrator
B.Appl Mgt

I am motivated by a sincere desire to make a positive impact on our environment and am dedicated to supporting our team in achieving our shared mission in the Ravensdown Environmental Team. With several years of experience in diverse administrative roles, I bring a well-rounded skill set to my role as Environmental Administrator.

 

Understanding the National Environmental Standards - Freshwater (NES-FW)

The following is a breakdown of what the new freshwater rules mean for your farm and whether you will need resource consents.

Overview: new regulation summary Nitrogen fertiliser cap summary Stock exclusion regulations summary

The environment you farm in is changing.

Ravensdown offers a range of environmental services, each tailored to suit your individual needs. Below is a snap-shot of our range of environmental services.

 

Farm Environment Plans (FEP)

Our team will work with you to create a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) that will meet all FEP requirements while also supporting continuous environmental improvement on-farm.

Find out more

Resource consents and planning

Our professional planners are available to work through the resource consent process with you, ranging from initial advice on your individual situation, writing the assessment of effects, planning regulation assessment and preparing and lodging the resource consent application. They can also help advise you on meeting the planning rules for current and proposed farming activities.

Find out more

Nutrient modelling

If you need to determine nutrient losses for regulatory requirements or if you are considering a farm system change to support productivity or regulatory requirements, we can model these changes to show their effect on key outcomes such as nitrogen or phosphorus loss.

Find out more

Due diligence for farm sale and purchase

We can give you peace of mind whether you are the vendor or purchaser by helping ensure environmental constraints and planning requirements are identified. We also model potential farm systems as scenarios for purchasers to ensure they can operate within environmental limits.

Recording and reporting

One important part of compliance is keeping reliable records for all fertiliser applications on your property. Ravensdown’s HawkEye software is a farm mapping and decision support solution that can be used to capture and detail the nutrient events on your farm, including all your fertiliser orders. When Ravensdown Joint Venture spreading or TracMap spreaders are used, proof of placement data is also captured helping to build a complete on-farm picture.