Rural professionals Erica van Reenen and Isabel Schmahl win top industry awards
Agribusiness and Environmental consultant Erica van Reenen has been named the FarmIQ Systems Rural Professional of the Year for 2025, while Isabel Schmahl, Agri-Manager with Ravensdown, has taken out the title of FarmIQ Systems Emerging Rural Professional of the Year.
The awards were presented at the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management (NZIPIM) National Conference Awards Dinner, held in Christchurch on 26 August 2025.
The 2025 Rural Professional of the Year was awarded to Erica van Reenen, Agribusiness and Environmental Consultant and Chair AgFirst. Erica has expertise across farm systems design, environmental management, greenhouse gas modelling, nutrient efficiency and biodiversity. She leads diverse projects including farm systems analysis, strategy design, sustainable finance initiatives and advisory team management, with extensive experience supporting Māori Agribusiness.
The judges said Erica’s breadth and depth of expertise made her a standout.
“She shows enormous passion and is not afraid to ask the hard questions of both the sector and her farming clients. Erica is a futuristic thinker with strong international and policy awareness and is highly attuned to the issues, challenges and opportunities facing our sector,” they said.
They added: “Her professionalism and advocacy make her deeply trusted, both by farmers and across the industry. She cares immensely for the farming community and is exceptionally well positioned to help New Zealand agriculture embrace change and new technologies.”
Erica said she was humbled to be named the 2025 winner:
“It’s a real honour to be recognised as Rural Professional of the Year. This award isn’t just about my work; it reflects the communities, farming families, businesses and organisations I’ve had the privilege to stand alongside. Together we can honour our sector’s legacy while embracing new ways of thinking to build a resilient, thriving future – ka mua, ka muri.”
Isabel Schmahl, Agri-Manager with Ravensdown, was awarded the Emerging Rural Professional of the Year for 2025. Isabel provides advice across nutrient management, environmental planning, agronomy and farm compliance, working with a wide range of clients to improve on-farm production, profitability and sustainability.
The judges described her as a “true high achiever,” noting her recognition as “Rookie of the Year” with Ravensdown and her top scores in the national nutrient management course. They praised her balance of technical expertise and emotional intelligence:
“She has a very good grasp of the future of agriculture and her pivotal role as a nutrient adviser. Her farming clients describe her as sincere, courteous and knowledgeable.”
They also commended Isabel’s community involvement and ambition to take on leadership opportunities, saying she would be a fantastic ambassador for New Zealand’s emerging rural professionals.
Isabel said receiving the award was a huge honour:
“I am honoured and delighted to win this award – it took me by surprise considering the calibre of the other finalists. I am incredibly grateful for the support I have received from my current employer Ravensdown and previous employer Pāmu, as well as Lincoln University, NZIPIM and Beef + Lamb NZ for the many professional and personal development opportunities. I am passionate about making a lasting impact on farm productivity, environmental sustainability and animal genetics and I am excited to see where our ag sector is heading and how I can help shape its future.”
FarmIQ executive general manager Gavin McEwen says the calibre of the 2025 finalists once again shows the strength of New Zealand’s rural professional sector: “After 14 years of sponsoring excellence in rural professionals we never cease to be impressed by the calibre of both young and more experienced professionals in the agricultural industry. Providing support and service to New Zealand’s farm businesses is an essential ingredient as to why the Ag sectors perform so well across many metrics. Good farm business don’t just happen, it takes a team to get results and the nominees in the awards demonstrate the value these people add.”
Jo Finer, chief executive of NZIPIM, says, “It’s fantastic to work alongside FarmIQ Systems on these awards, who recognise the critical role of both emerging and mid-career rural professionals in our sector. Isabel and Erica exemplify the very best of excellence and professionalism, at their respective career stages. Their dedication to the profession and their commitment to the clients they serve really do set them apart. We are proud to recognise their achievements and celebrate the impact they both make across the primary sector.”
The judges also recognised Ryan Luckman as Highly Commended in the Rural Professional category. Ryan was praised for his innovation, collaborative approach and leadership in helping farmers apply wearable technologies and rumination insights. He was described as an “exceptional communicator” with a strong drive for continuous improvement and deep commitment to his local Waimate community.