Morgan Easton

From the Farm Gate to a Trans-Tasman Network: The Lasting Impact of the Zanda McDonald Award

Winning the Award in 2017 gave Morgan Easton something that can be hard to find when you are immersed in a family farming business – the opportunity to step away from the day-to-day, experience other sectors and businesses, and see agriculture through a much wider lens.

Already farming with his family in New Zealand, Morgan saw the Award as an opportunity to get off farm and broaden his experience. He had read about the journey of an earlier Award winner, Dean, and the combination of an Australian mentoring trip and the Rabobank Executive Development Program encouraged him to put his own hand up.

What followed opened Morgan’s eyes to businesses, sectors and ideas well beyond his own farming operation and country. Nearly a decade later, however, it is the people he met along the way that have proved one of the greatest benefits.

“The biggest thing is the connections and friendships. There are people you can ring at any time, have a chat with and bounce something off.”

Seeing what is possible

Morgan’s Australian mentoring trip, hosted by Richard Rains, exposed him to leading agricultural businesses and people operating at a scale and in sectors very different from his own.

Years later, Morgan can still pick up the phone and call Richard for a conversation, advice or another perspective – something he values enormously.

Visits to businesses including Paraway Pastoral Co. and time with industry leaders such as George King broadened Morgan’s thinking about farming, leadership and business. A shared interest in aviation with George also created a friendship that has since extended to Morgan’s parents.

David and Prue Bondfield of Palgrove made another lasting impression. Morgan was inspired not only by how they had grown their business, but by their ability to do so while continuing to make time for people and family.

It reinforced an important lesson: business success is not simply about scale, but also about the people around you and the way you choose to build your business and life.

Beyond the mentoring trip

The Award has also introduced Morgan to people with shared interests and experiences across the wider alumni and industry network.

He remains in touch regularly with fellow alumnus Rhys Roberts, with farming providing plenty of common ground. His love of aviation has also led to an ongoing connection with Stephen Davies-Howard and Seb Lip at Pilatus.

It is this mix of professional and personal relationships that Morgan sees as a distinctive part of the Award experience. Alumni travelling through each other’s regions will often make the effort to catch up, and the connections can develop in directions that were never anticipated when the initial introduction was made.

Staying inspired

The Impact Summits have provided Morgan with another valuable reason to get off farm, hear new perspectives and stay abreast of technology, opportunities and changes across agriculture.

Speakers including Rob McGavin and Barry Irvin have been particularly memorable, sharing experiences and perspectives that have stayed with him long after the event.

For someone immersed in the demands of a farming business, Morgan values the chance to step outside that environment and return home with fresh ideas and renewed motivation.

“You hear inspirational stories, keep up with what is happening and come home motivated again.”

The Summits also bring the wider Award community back together, strengthening the relationships built through mentoring trips and shared experiences.

From winner to giving back

Morgan’s involvement with the Zanda McDonald Award has extended well beyond his year as a winner. He went on to serve three years as a Board member, giving back to the programme that had given him so much.

His journey illustrates how the impact of the Award can grow over time. What began as an opportunity to step away from the family farm and experience other businesses and sectors has broadened Morgan’s perspective, created opportunities for his family and given him a trans-Tasman community of people to learn from and contribute to.

Almost a decade after winning, that combination of exposure, inspiration and people remains at the heart of what the Zanda McDonald Award has meant to Morgan.