About Us
Meet the Team
James Cates
James was born and raised in Martinborough, South Wairarapa on a farm and has always had a passion for the industry and lifestyle.
He invested in his first farm with a friend using a small amount of savings and his old ute as equity. From there he grew his equity and worked away to eventually buy in as an equity partner at Kumu Kumu Station, Wainuioru in 1995 where he has been ever since.
He has a real passion for quality farming and traditional values. He loves to see well-maintained properties that continuously improve. He gets real satisfaction from upskilling people and investing in the next generation of farmers. James has a passion for farming, people and fishing.
Gwyn Jones
Media Relations | Admin
City girl who met a farmer...
I transition regularly between farm life and city life, and appreciate both. It is so obvious to me how very disconnected the urban side of New Zealand is from the rural side.
When I was a child, nearly everyone in my circle had or knew people who grew our food. Farm stays were a holiday treat to look forward to.
It is disconcerting and frankly sad that our children don’t have this connection any more and for many our understanding of where our food comes from ends at the supermarket till.
Oh that's me on the left.
Andy Scott
President and primary spokesperson for 50 Shades of Green Andy is a founding member of the organisation.
We are a small country on world standards that is trying to grand stand on climate change.
“This could be good if we get the science right. Ruminant animals are not the cause, blanket planting of pine trees will not mitigate. The cause are people themselves!
We must inform and educate the people so that the right decisions can be made. If not, we will have no regional economy which will filter to the NZ economy, this is detriment to New Zealand so Stand Up and be Counted.”
Scott Sommerville
Married with four children, I’m the fifth generation of my family to farm or has had an involvement in the agricultural industry. I am the General Manager of a large Maori owned sheep and beef property in the Tararua district.
I am opposed to the sale of good productive agricultural land to subsidised forestry. It is undermining all kiwis’ short and long term wealth and wellbeing. The blatant attack on the culture of an industry responsible for forty eight percent of the country’s export income is abhorrent. Decision makers need to put the wellbeing of all Kiwis first and not pander to U.N. driven agendas.
Pattie O'Boyle
Hi, I’m Pattie O’Boyle. Amongst other things, I’m a rural resident, a farm owner and an ex-rural banker.
Recently I’ve felt compelled to “get in behind” rural communities advocate, 50 Shades of Green. Advocacy and / or the questioning of government policy (and its unintended consequences) is a new space for me to be in.
Both myself and my husband, Tony, are more typically quite positive people, open to change, early adopters, excited by possibilities - however recent developments / proposed legislation in regards forestry and blanket planting of productive farmland, has meant that we are far from feeling positive or “on board”. We will not sit idly by and watch hectare upon hectare of good, productive farmland being sold into forestry or blanket planted into forestry.