The New Zealand Rural Games Trust established Agri Futures to motivate, support, and empower rangatahi to pursue food and fibre careers.
We are a pan-sector initiative that operates four pillars of work, providing opportunities for partnership and connection across education and employment sectors.
The New Zealand Rural Games Trust is a registered charity, and Agri Futures is one of the Trusts programmes of delivery, the others being: Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games and the Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards.
Meet Our Team
Meet Daniel O’Regan, who brings a unique blend of marketing and event management expertise to our team. With over 20 years of experience in communications, marketing, and events. Daniel is an award-winning public relations specialist who has run his own consultancy for over a decade. He is committed to using his expertise to promote and advance the food and fibre industry in Aotearoa to rangatahi.
As an accredited member of the Public Relations Institute of NZ and a former editor, Daniel possesses a wealth of knowledge and skills that make him a valuable asset to our organisation. He has worked with prestigious institutions such as UCOL Te Pūkenga, The Riddet Institute, and Massey University where he supported the establishment of FoodHQ.
Born and raised on a sheep, beef, deer, forestry and goldmine farm in the Inangahua Valley on the Tai Poutini | West Coast, Daniel has an impressive track record that includes leading the Agri Futures pilot with MPI, managed successful marketing, communications, and sponsorship campaigns for prominent events such as the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games, Norwood NZ Rural Sports Awards, Clash of the Colleges, the South Island Agricultural Field Days, and the South Island Farmer of the Year Marketing Manager. In 2012, Daniel won the PRINZ Supreme Award for his work with the Student Volunteer Army following the Christchurch earthquakes.
We are thrilled to introduce Kristi McLoughlin (nee Atkins), our Event Manager at Agri Futures. Kristi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a Graduate Diploma in Project Management, which she has used to hone her skills in the Food & Fibre, events, and education sectors.
Kristi’s passion for agriculture and her deep understanding of the industry stems from her experiences working in the Food & Fibre sector. Her work in branding and marketing has given her a unique perspective on the challenges facing agricultural businesses and the strategies that can help them succeed.
Furthermore, Kristi’s experience as an event and sponsorship lead has given her the opportunity to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders in the agriculture industry, including suppliers, customers, and other key players. With her keen eye for detail and her strategic mindset, Kristi is well-equipped to help Agri Futures build and maintain these important relationships.
As a self-employed director of George and Taylor Consulting, Kristi has excelled in branding and marketing, project management, event coordination, and communications. Her skills and experience make her an invaluable asset to the Agri Futures team, and her positive energy and passion for collaboration align perfectly with the company’s values. Whether she is designing effective marketing strategies or coordinating complex events, Kristi’s knowledge and experience will help Agri Futures continue to succeed in the ever-evolving world of agriculture.
Tangaroa Walker, or T as he is known, is one of the biggest supporters of Food and Fibre careers in Aotearoa today.
As our Clash of the Colleges MC, he keeps rangatahi on the ball as they compete in our Clash of the College modules and encourages them to have a go.
T is a successful dairy farmer, agri-edutainer, social media superstar, gym owner and most importantly, husband and dad.
T’s early years were pretty rough. Adopted twice, he went to six different schools by age six. He never read a book in his life and lived to play rugby. But he had a dream and knew how to do the mahi. And through dedication, hard work, and a drive to help others, T aims to make a difference every day throughout the farming community and beyond.
Today, T runs a successful 500-cow dairy farm in Southland and reaches millions of people as the much-loved face of Farm4Life and The Hub with his practical, inspiring, crack-up videos on everything from farming to fishing, finance to whānau and mental health management.
