We were disappointed to find no gongs dished out for contributions or services to agricultural and horticultural “science” in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2018. At least, not that we could find.
Professor Nicola Mary Shadbolt, BSc(Hons), MAgrSc(Hons), DipBusStud (Accountancy), of Ashhurst, becomes an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit “for services to agribusiness”.
She is Professor in Farm & AgriBusiness Management at Massey University’s School of Agriculture and Environment, delivering farm and agribusiness management research and education. She is a director of Fonterra Cooperative and a director of the International Food & Agribusiness Management Association and she represents New Zealand in the International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) in Dairying.
She is the Editor of International Food and Agribusiness Management Review and the International Journal of Agricultural Management.
Nicola is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Her listing at Massey University notes she has a depth and breadth of understanding of farming, has been a farmer for over 30 years – dairy, sheep, beef, deer & forestry.
But “science” – as distinct from agribusiness – was sparsely acknowledged.
A Queen’s Service Medal was awarded to Roger Griffith Cox, of Hamilton, for services to science education. And that – on our quick run-through – was the only time “science” entered the list.
Mrs Dianne Millicent Kenderdine, of Auckland, becomes a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the community and the cheese industry.
But her contribution seems to be administrative rather than scientific. She is secretary of the NZ Specialist Cheesemakers Association Inc.
Accordingly we have some blunt advice to readers keen to be mentioned on the Honours List one day. You should give up science in favour – say – of sport or the entertainment business.
Oh, and let’s note that one gong was dished out for quilting, which opens up another line of possibilities.
