Agronomist James Blair wins 2026 Pukekohe Young Grower title

James Blair, an agronomist for AS Wilcox, has won the 2026 Pukekohe Young Grower regional title.

James from Matamata pitched his skills against six fellow contestants to take the title on May 15. He also won the best speech and best theory categories.

He will now go on to compete against six other regional winners in Horticulture New Zealand’s national Young Grower of the Year competition in Cromwell on August 27-28.

James, aged 28, grew up on a dairy farm in the UK before gaining a degree in agricultural crop science.

After working for two years as an agronomist in the UK, he and his partner went travelling, working in Australia for a year before heading for New Zealand where he joined AS Wilcox, as a technical crop supervisor for potatoes, and discovered a passion for horticulture.

He is now technical support for four regions, covering from Pukunui in the Far North to Ohakune, as well overseeing the seed programme for the South Island.

“I enjoy that it is always busy with a good mixture of admin and practicality,” he says.

“There is a bit of office work, but crop walking is still the best part for me and going to the different regions and meeting different growers.

“All the regions have their own challenges, and you have to approach each one differently. There is also a lot of opportunity for innovation, and the company put a lot of trust in you to try new things.”

Prior to going to university James wasn’t aware of the of the range of jobs available in agriculture (he didn’t see himself going into a practical farming role). He came across agronomy and the jobs associated with it; this led him to studying Agricultural Crop Science.

While at university, James arranged to spend time with Agrovista, an agronomy company, to see if this was the pathway he wanted to take.

“I enjoyed it so much that I continued to help with the company whenever I had the chance and joined them once I finished my degree. I also went on to gain my BASIS diploma which is required to be an agronomist in the UK.

“This was the first time I had entered the Young Grower competition, and it was a fantastic experience. The contestants came from a real mix of horticulture backgrounds, from kiwifruit to glasshouses and large vegetable growers, but the competition was designed to suit everyone.

“It’s an important event because it is a chance to test your skills against your peers but also to raise awareness among young people of the opportunities in the industry, because there are so many.

“I grew up on a farm, but I had no idea of the scope of opportunities in horticulture and I feel very lucky that I fell into it.

“Agronomy is my absolute passion, so I want to stay in that field and work in improvements in technology and efficiency. I’d strongly encourage young people to give horticulture a go. “Wherever you start, a seasonal job or whatever, if you have the right attitude and are willing to work hard, then the opportunities will be there for you to progress.”

Runner up in the Pukekohe Young Grower competition was Laura Torpey, a lab manager and field supervisor for Punchbowl, and third place went to   Taurion Colquhoun, an assistant grower for Kaipaki Berries.

The competition celebrates the success of young people in the industry as well as encouraging others to consider a career in horticulture.

Regional organisers host and run the regional competitions independently, with Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) hosting the final in a different part of the country each year.

Entry is open to both commercial fruit and vegetable growers from across the regions, up to the age of 30.

HortNZ chief executive Kate Scott said the regional competitions are a highlight of the year and do much to raise awareness of the high level of skill of young people in the industry and the many career opportunities it offers.

“The regional organisers put in a huge amount of their time, expertise, energy and passion for the industry to make the Young Grower regional competitions happen. The competitions simply would not run without them or our sponsors.

“They do it to recognise and celebrate the very high calibre of young people we have working in the industry and to demonstrate to others the many pathways horticulture offers into a wide range of interesting and rewarding careers.”