Sarah Gard

Sarah joined DairyNZ in 2023 as a senior project manager and uses her strategic, facilitation, and leadership skills to support scientists in achieving their research goals.

Sarah and her husband Will also have a dairy farming business. Together they contract milk 630 cows in the Waimakariri district. She has been involved in agriculture her whole life, having grown up on a sheep and beef farm. “It’s in my blood,” she says. “I wouldn’t want to raise my children any other way.” She has a passion for educating the public about farming and is proud to produce sustainable food.

Sarah has a background in agronomy. After completing a Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours at Lincoln University. She started her career at CRT, now Farmlands, as an agronomist before joining the seed industry and progressing to the role of general manager for an international seed company (New Zealand branch). As well as managing the business, her role included developing and managing a range of forage trials.

During her time in the seed industry Sarah enjoyed various roles within the NZPBRA (NZ Plant Breeding & Research Association) including chairing the Forage Technical Committee. She is grateful for the strong network of relationships she built from this involvement.

Sarah loves working amongst such passionate people at DairyNZ who all are working to support farmers to be more profitable, productive and sustainable.