NZ Young Farmers

What NZ Young Farmers does

NZ Young Farmers (NZYF) is a New Zealand not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1927 and headquartered in Christchurch, operating under the legal entity NZ Federation of Young Farmers Clubs Incorporated. It connects and supports young people aged 16-31 in rural communities and the food and fibre sector through a network of more than 60 local clubs nationwide, supplemented by TeenAg high school programs (ages 13-18) and AgriKidsNZ competitions for primary school-aged children. The organization's flagship asset is the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition, now in its 58th season, which functions as both a talent showcase and the principal sponsorship vehicle.

The portfolio extends beyond club membership to include the NZYF Tournament, NZYF National Awards, an Alumni Network for aged-out members, Donald's Farm (a 74-hectare donated commercial dairy operated as an outdoor classroom to engage urban-based youth), and the Food and Fibre Youth Network — a sister network extending NZYF's reach beyond on-farm membership into the broader food and fibre value chain. NZYF uses HubSpot CRM for member engagement and communications; there is no proprietary technology platform, and AI/ML capabilities are not part of the offering.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: annual membership subscriptions across two age tiers, event sponsorship anchored by FMG's naming-rights partnership (with secondary sponsors including Ravensdown, New Holland, Honda, Fonterra, Dairy NZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, MPI, WorkSafe, Lincoln and Massey Universities, STIHL, and others), and donations and corporate partnerships. The organization is governed by a Board chaired by Kate Denholm (elected 2025) and led by Chief Executive Cheyne Gillooly (appointed June 2025, recruited from the Ministry for Primary Industries). Revenue, membership pricing, and detailed financials are not publicly disclosed.

Name

NZ Young Farmers

Legal name

NZ Federation of Young Farmers Clubs Incorporated

Website

https://youngfarmers.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Youth Membership Organization

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB)

Keywords

• Agricultural youth organization
• Rural community clubs
• Farming competition series
• Agricultural education programs
• Youth membership services

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Revenue generated from annual membership fees from members aged 16-31 (NZ Young Farmers) and TeenAg members aged 13-18. Membership provides access to networking events, upskilling opportunities, exclusive offers, discounts, scholarships, and leadership opportunities.
2. Event Sponsorship: Major sponsorship revenue from the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest series, including support from FMG, Ravensdown, WorkSafe, MPI, Honda, New Holland, and other partners. Sponsors receive visibility and association with the premier farming competition.
3. Donations and Partnerships: The organization receives donations and maintains corporate partnerships with organizations including Dairy NZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, Fonterra, and others who provide financial and in-kind support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

NZ Young Farmers is a not-for-profit membership organization that connects and supports young people aged 13-31 in New Zealand's food and fibre sector through a network of 60+ local clubs, national competitions, educational programs, and scholarships. The core offer consists of two membership tiers (NZ Young Farmers for ages 16-31 and TeenAg for ages 13-18) alongside a flagship contest series including the FMG Young Farmer of the Year, FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year, and AgriKidsNZ competitions.

Product overview

NZ Young Farmers operates as a membership-based rural youth organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and competitions. The core offering consists of two membership tiers (NZ Young Farmers for ages 16-31 and TeenAg for ages 13-18), complemented by a flagship contest series including the FMG Young Farmer of the Year, FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year, and AgriKidsNZ competitions. Additional offerings include the NZYF Tournament, Alumni Network, Donald's Farm educational initiative, Food and Fibre Youth Network, and National Awards program. The organization connects young people in rural communities, supports agricultural education, and develops future leaders in the food and fibre sector through over 60 clubs nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FMG Young Farmer of the Year: Premier annual competition showcasing the skill and knowledge of young people within the food and fibre sector, featuring practical challenges, exams, interviews, and public speaking.
• FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year
• AgriKidsNZ
• Donald's Farm
• TeenAg
• Food and Fibre Youth Network

Products and services

• NZ Young Farmers Membership Core membership program for young people aged 16-31 in rural communities, providing access to networking events, social activities, upskilling opportunities, exclusive member offers, discounts, scholarships, and leadership development across over 60 clubs nationwide.
• TeenAg Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,600+ members connected through 60+ clubs nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• FMGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFMG is the principal naming sponsor of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition, FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year, and the AgriKidsNZ competition. Provides prize packages worth over $75,000 for winners including cash, vehicles, and professional development.
• RavensdowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor contest sponsor providing professional development packages and agricultural support to contestants.
• WorkSafemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContest sponsor focused on farm safety modules and providing personal development courses for Grand Finalists.
• Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting the contest series and providing prize packs for contestants.
• New Holland AgriculturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor contest sponsor providing tractors and equipment as prizes for competition winners.
• Lincoln UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner providing scholarships and educational opportunities for competition winners.
• Massey UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner supporting the contest with educational resources and scholarship opportunities.
• HondamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContest sponsor providing ATVs and equipment as prizes for winners.
• Dairy NZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting young farmers in the dairy sector through industry collaboration.
• Beef + Lamb New ZealandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting the sheep and beef farming sector and young farmers.
• FonterramajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor dairy cooperative and community partner supporting young farmers.
• STIHLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContest sponsor providing power tools and equipment vouchers as prizes.
• PTS LogisticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogistics partner supporting the contest series.
• BushbuckminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContest sponsor providing outdoor gear vouchers as prizes.
• Environmental Protection AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting the contest series.
• ACCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccident compensation corporation partner supporting farm safety initiatives.
• WoolworthsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetail partner supporting the contest series.
• MilwaukeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPower tools sponsor providing equipment prizes.
• CRVminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDairy genetics company and community partner.
• Tavendale and PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing support for NZYF initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• 4-H: The largest youth agricultural development organization globally, with age-banded clubs, leadership programs, and project-based competitions. Operates at much greater scale internationally but follows essentially the same model as NZYF at a national level.
• Future Farmers of America (FFA): Major US youth agricultural organization operating a parallel model of school-based chapters, leadership conferences, and career development events for high school and college-aged members. Comparable in mission and contest-driven structure though larger and school-anchored.

Regional players

• Rural Women New Zealand: NZ-based rural community membership organization addressing isolation, advocacy, and skill development in rural areas. Different demographic (women) but operates an adjacent community-club model in the same New Zealand geography.

Direct peers

• New Zealand Young Horticulturist Competition: An NZ competition-based youth development program with regional finals and a national final, mirroring the FMG Young Farmer of the Year structure but for horticulture. Comparable tier-based contest and member-engagement mechanics.
• Macra na Feirme: Irish young farmers' organization serving rural youth ages 17-35, offering competitions, training, and advocacy in agriculture. Near-identical mission, demographic, and member-services portfolio as NZYF.
• Scottish Association of Young Farmers' Clubs (SAYFC): Scottish equivalent of NZYF running 80+ clubs with regional and national competitions for rural youth. Highly comparable in scale, age band, club structure, and contest-driven programming.
• Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario (JFAO): Ontario-based provincial young farmers association with age-banded membership, local clubs, and an annual competitive congress. Structurally equivalent to NZYF but operating at a provincial rather than national scope.
• National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs (NFYFC) / Young Farmers UK: The UK counterpart, founded in 1921, operating a near-identical club-based membership model for rural youth with regional competitions and an annual national final. The closest structural and operational analogue to NZYF.

Others

• New Zealand Agricultural Show (Christchurch) / Royal Agricultural Society partners: NZ agricultural event and exhibition organizations that share the rural-youth-engagement and primary-sector branding ecosystem that NZYF occupies. Indirect comparability through overlapping audience and sponsor base rather than direct competition.
• Scouts New Zealand: A New Zealand youth development nonprofit delivering skills, leadership, and community engagement through a similar club-based delivery model. Not an agricultural peer, but operates a comparable membership/club/nonprofit infrastructure at NZ scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/NewZealandYoungFarmersNZYF/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/nzyoungfarmers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nz-young-farmers
• Instagraminstagram.com/nzyoungfarmers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NZ Young Farmers