Rural professionals acknowledged by their peers
Emma Ractliffe, Regulatory Manager at Progressive Meats, has been named the FarmIQ Systems Emerging Rural Professional of the Year for 2026, while rural consultant and director at Perrin Ag, Carla Muller, has taken out the title of Beef + Lamb New Zealand Rural Professional of the Year.
Ratcliffe is accountable for food safety, quality, health & safety, environment, training and enterprise risk across the Progressive Meats site, leading a team of 12 staff.
Her core areas of expertise include risk and compliance governance, regulatory and stakeholder relations, and health, safety and environmental systems, including animal welfare and water stewardship.
The judges say she stood as an exceptional emerging rural professional who has already achieved an extraordinary amount for someone at such an early stage of her career.
What shone through was her maturity, capability, professionalism, and the respect she has earned from industry leaders considerably more experienced than herself.
They were particularly impressed with the trust and credibility Ratcliffe has built at such a young age, and how she earns respect not by being the loudest voice in the room, but by being well prepared, well informed, and highly effective.
Russell Mackay, Head of Sales and Marketing at FarmIQ Systems, was chuffed to see Ratcliffe walk away with the award, and the $3,000 in prize money that accompanies it.
“We have sponsored these awards for 14 years and we are always impressed with the calibre of the applicants; this year was no different and the nominees were exceptional. It’s always exciting and rewarding to support our emerging rural professionals, and big congratulations to our winners.”
Carla Muller meantime is a Principal Consultant, shareholder and director at Perrin Ag, where she plays a central role in both client delivery and business leadership.
She leads complex consulting projects, with particular expertise in work that extends beyond the farm gate, including novel research, economic analysis, strategic advisory, value chain assessment and evidence-based reporting for rural sector clients.
Alongside her own client work, Muller provides technical oversight and quality assurance across the wider team, helping ensure Perrin Ag’s advice is robust, practical and professionally delivered.
The judges say that Muller’s influence, leadership and contribution reach well beyond her years in the industry, and she is someone who continually steps up, takes on responsibility, and makes a meaningful difference wherever she is involved.
The judges also recognised Alex Coddington from AgriHQ as Highly Commended in the Emerging Rural Professional category, and Greg Dryden of Fruition Horticulture as Highly Commended in the Rural Professional category.