Passion for people drives Young Farmers chair - Jessie Waite

Passion for people is one of the driving forces behind Taranaki’s Jessie Waite, the new chair of the New Zealand Young Farmers board.

“I know it sounds super cliche, but everything I do is about people. I want to help people; just be around people, make them laugh, whatever. Add friends and family, and passion for people is my biggest value.”

Jessie has been a regional partner for OSPRI in Taranaki for two years in November in an extension role supporting and educating farmers about NAIT.

“That’s sitting down with them, going through the system and making sure they understand what their obligations are,” she explains. She also communicates with other stakeholders in the community, as well as supporting the TB Free programme in other areas of the North Island.

“I get to help farmers and take weight off their shoulders to be more confident about meeting their NAIT obligations and not be in fear of it. It's really nice when you see farmers either have a light bulb moment, or being just so appreciative of someone sitting down and helping them.”

She says OSPRI has been totally understanding about her new responsibilities with New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF). Personally, she’s still working out the balance between being on the board and staying an active club member.

“I love the social connection at club level, but I have to remind myself not to put my hand up for so many things. When you get onto the board, you're not doing the doing; you're setting the why and the what, but you're not doing the how. It’s governance not operation, and as a member, you have to change your mindset.”

Jessie is the Young Farmers appointee and vice chair on Dairy Trust Taranaki, and will stand for re-election for that this year. She’s also keen to make the most of the rest of her time with NZYF.

“It is ticking away. I’m already thinking about what my next steps are going to be. Where do I see myself going? What organisations fit my values? I need to be like a sponge and soak up every opportunity I can get and gain as many skills as I can get.”

Jessie is Taranaki born and bred; rural but not actually farming, she says.

“When you live in coastal Taranaki you do live rurally, but I didn’t grow up on a farm or spend that much time on farms. Mum's family emigrated to New Zealand from Scotland so I’m only a second-generation Kiwi on that side … My dad's grandparents farmed in Te Roti in South Taranaki. They had Jerseys [cows] and pigs, so my dad spent time on the farm with his grandparents, but then they sold up.

“It wasn't really until I moved to Oamaru when I was a journalist that I was more immersed into a rural community and joined Young Farmers.”

Jessie had always had a passion for writing. After being inspired at a Careers Expo while at New Plymouth Girls’ High School, she did a Diploma in Journalism at the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki (WITT). After missing a spot at broadcasting school, she worked at the Stratford Press for a year before being offered a job at the Oamaru Mail in North Otago.

A bunch of friends were going on a Young Farmers trip to Black Forest Station and encouraged her to join the Five Forks club so she could go with them.?

“It all started from there, to be honest, and then I just absolutely loved it. I soon became chair of the club and then joined the Aorangi regional committee, which put me on national committee as well.”

After four years in Oamaru, she returned to Taranaki to save for her OE. But ended up only travelling for a few months, after landing roles with Federated Farmers, Grassroots Media, the Ballance Farm Environment Awards and now OSPRI.

Socially, she joined Central Taranaki Young Farmers, then Inglewood.

“That was a great chance to make new friends, because I’d been away for a while,” she explains.

She was elected to the NZYF board in 2020) and took the helm in July 2022.

Young Farmers cut-off age is 31, which Jessie will hit by the end of the year, although she will stay on the board until the organisation’s AGM in July.

“Being in New Zealand Young Farmers has certainly paved my career, and given me friendships throughout the country. You just can't beat it, really, the people are what makes the organisation, and I feel very lucky to have been part of it.

“Everyone has their own Young Farmers stories and they look back fondly to their time with clubs and friends. It shows how amazing the structure is – it hasn't changed that much in terms of what people got up to in their clubs and the events they held and what they've got out of it. Our strategy and our vision has changed over the years, but our core purpose hasn't. It’s so neat to know that rich history of young farmers has gone through multiple generations. It's special.”

As a single lass, she’s also keen for Young Farmers to live up to its reputation as the rural dating agency.

“It hasn’t worked out so far, but there’s still time,” she says, laughing. “Maybe we can put my number at the bottom of the article?”