Proud of agriculture, ready to give back

A third-year agribusiness student from a Taranaki dairy farming family has been named the second recipient of the Dr Warren Parker and Pamu agricultural scholarship.

William John Poole is studying at Massey University and was selected for the scholarship in recognition of his leadership potential, commitment to agriculture and alignment with the values of state owned farmer Landcorp.

Raised on a dairy farm, Poole says agriculture has always been central to his life and shaped his work ethic.

Growing up on a dairy farm gave him a strong connection to the land, and studying agribusiness is helping him better understand how he can contribute to the sector in a meaningful way.

Poole says receiving the scholarship has given him confidence to keep pushing himself.

He is particularly interested in the role large scale farming organisations can play in testing new ideas and adapting to change, and is exploring the opportunity to complete a summer placement with Pamu to gain hands on experience in a new part of the country.

He’s proud of NZ agriculture and its global reputation, and was looking forward to starting his career, learning from others and contributing back to the sector.

The scholarship was established in 2024 to honour the legacy of the late Dr Warren Parker, a former board chair, and was awarded for the first time last year.

The inaugural recipient, Oliver Cayley, completed his final year of a Bachelor of Agribusiness at Massey University in 2025 alongside a two month placement on a Pamu dairy unit near Taupo, where he worked as part of the Endurance team.

Cayley has since begun a two year graduate programme with Fonterra in Christchurch.

Pamu chief executive Mark Leslie says the scholarship is about more than financial support.

It backs talented young people, giving them real world experience and helping them build confidence and connections in the sector, he says, adding that both Poole and Cayley reflect the values Parker stood for.