Incoming Beef+Lamb NZ CEO Alan Thomson.

BEEF + Lamb New Zealand’s next chief executive officer is expected to lead the body’s attempts to limit the pace of livestock farms being sold into carbon farming.

B+LNZ has announced that experienced agribusiness executive Alan Thomson will return home from Australia to take CEO role from 4 November this year.

Mr Thomson is moving to B+LNZ from Hitachi Australia, where he was director of agribusiness and was focused on agritech.

B+LNZ chair Kate Acland said Mr Thomson was born and bred in New Zealand and spent most of his career working for NZ-owned agricultural cooperative Ravensdown in Christchurch before establishing Ravensdown’s operations in Australia.

“He has a strong commercial and agribusiness background and is well placed to lead B+LNZ to deliver the tools and resources that New Zealand sheep and beef farmers need to thrive.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand has been vocal in our concerns around the scale and pace of sheep and beef farms being sold into carbon farming and calling for limits,” she said.

Based on analysis of farm title sales nearly 300,000 hectares of sheep and beef whole farms have been sold to be converted into forestry since 2017.

“We are hoping to make progress on this with the current government and believe Alan’s strong skills positions him well to take this forward,” Ms Acland said.

B+LNZ said Mr Thomson has had a lifelong career in, and affinity with, the agricultural sector and will relocate to Wellington for the role.

Ms Acland said she is delighted with the appointment.

“The board was intent on taking the time to get the right person and we’re confident that’s Alan.

“He has a strong commercial background and will be focused on delivering great outcomes for farmers,” she said.

“He wants to see our farmers thrive and our sector realise its potential.

“I know he’s excited about bringing B+LNZ’s refreshed strategy to life for farmers and making a real difference.”

B+LNZ said Mr Thomson’s recent work in the agritech space included supporting farmers in the Great Barrier Reef catchment area to capture data to enable operational decisions in order to mitigate environmental impacts. He is also on the board of DataFarming, an Australian agritech business. Prior to Hitachi, he was at Ravensdown for a number of years in a variety of roles in New Zealand and Australia.

Mr Thomson said he’s excited to join B+LNZ and make a difference for farmers.

“I’m deeply committed to agriculture and I see huge potential for sheep and beef farming.

“I’m really proud of work I’ve done on the ground with farmers in New Zealand and Australia, working to understand what they need,” he said.

“That really drives me.”

Mr Thomson said he focuses on using science and data to get results and loves working on projects that are aimed at lifting farmers’ productivity and profitability in a sustainable way.

“On a personal level, I’m also looking forward to returning to New Zealand to be closer to family.”

B+LNZ’s chief operating officer Cros Spooner will continue to act as CEO until 4 November.

Ms Acland said the B+LNZ Board is incredibly grateful to Mr Spooner for undertaking the acting role.