Ryan Mills

Ryan brings a passion for data to his role as an economist at DairyNZ. Trained as an econometrician, he has multiple strings to his bow - including the ability to build complex quantitative models and computer programming.

“I find economics fascinating; it mixes interesting elements of systems and people's behaviour. It’s core to all farming businesses and the sector.”

Ryan has come to truly understand the complexity of farm systems and the deep knowledge farmers bring to their work. His first farm visit was a real eye-opener: “We were in the paddock with the farmer and all his cows. They walked up to us, and he was talking about their personalities, he knew each one,” says Ryan. “Then he explained all of the trials and strategies he was testing on the pasture in that paddock. It was clear, this person really cares about their job”.

It’s moments like these, out on the farm, that drive Ryan’s passion for supporting the farming sector. Seeing firsthand the care, skill, and innovation farmers put into their work inspires him to help the industry grow and succeed.

At DairyNZ, Ryan has played a large part in the creation of the annual DairyNZ Economic Survey and Econ Tracker tool. He has provided economic environmental modelling in support of the multiple programmes. The Dairy Sector Pathways model and the financial forecasting tool he developed are now widely used across the dairy industry - an achievement that reflects the sector’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.

Ryan holds two bachelor’s degrees, in Economics and Computer Science, and a Master of Commerce and Economics, all from the University of Auckland.