Courtney Davies

Hi there!

I am an agricultural leader, a Rural Ambassador across four countries and the youngest person to be elected to the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand Executive. In 2016, I developed Northern Agricultural Youth to provide opportunities and education for youth interested in agriculture throughout New Zealand with a focus on Auckland and Northland. I’m also breeding up my own stud of pedigree Ayrshire cattle, Inca Ayrshires, which I exhibit at A&P Shows throughout the North Island. I champion international agricultural advancement, having remotely taught over 5,000 youth throughout Africa, Europe and Asia about sustainable agribusiness and the SDG’s with MyFarmbase Africa after representing New Zealand at the 2019 Youth Ag Summit. Untreatable mastitis in my own cattle led me into microbiology at Massey University, graduating with a Master of Natural Science with Distinction (and now an MBA). My thesis developed a novel antimicrobial tool using viral nanobeads to prevent antibiotic resistant infections. I combine my agricultural passion with environmental advocacy, having educated more than 30,000 people on sustainability using virtual reality and environmental leadership programmes through my role as a Programme Manager at BLAKE.

One policy change I’d like to see: compulsory agricultural education throughout the entire national schooling curriculum.

If I could choose one superpower: to make all cattle carbon/methane neutral without impacting their health or wellbeing.