Karina Belfield
Senior Area Manager - King Country
Born and raised on a dairy farm, Karina has been immersed in dairying both personally and professionally since the age of 15, making lifelong friends with farmers throughout her career.
Karina describes DairyNZ as being ‘’full of passionate people who want to listen to and help farmers.” She pivoted into her current DairyNZ role after studying science at university and extending and building on her skills through a variety of science, education and dairy sector organisations (see snapshot below).
“Assisting farmers to navigate all things farming and bringing the agricultural community together to aid our sector’s knowledge and growth, is a key focus of my position here,” says Karina, who joined DairyNZ in January 2026 after her previous role as Synlait’s North Island Area Manager and later, incorporating Sustainability Advisor.
She says DairyNZ’s regional teams are an important source of support for farmers, their people and their businesses. “Farms, farmers and farming communities can be isolated geographically and psychologically,” explains Karina.
“That can also hamper the flow of data and shared knowledge. We help and connect farmers with what they need, with each other, and with relevant rural professionals and organisations. Our support can make a big difference, whether that’s in relation to profit, compliance, regulation, or problem solving. It also contributes to advancing our sector.”
Karina gets a lot of satisfaction in her role, seeing real value in DairyNZ team members and farmers working together.
“Together, we can achieve a two-way transmission of information, innovation and knowledge to inform companies, corporations, science, and research what farmers and the sector need.”
Ask Karina what really energises her in relation to her job and she’ll say:
“Moving the needle, making a difference, enhancing understanding, making a farming business more resilient, and reigniting the passion I have for dairying’s future, in others.”
- Find out more about DairyNZ’s other Upper North Island regional team members.
- Check out our nationwide regional teams.
Snapshot: Karina Belfield
My qualifications:
- Bachelors in Science and Technology (Chemistry, Management, Microbiology), University of Waikato
- Study in Leadership, Governance and Nutrient sustainability (Massey University)
Career and connections:
Karina started out at AgResearch, before moving into leadership early as Micro Lab Manager at South Auckland Independent Testing Limited (SAITL) (now MilkTestNZ). After that, she took on an Academic Officer role at the University of Waikato, promoting and recruiting for its science programmes. By 2000, she and husband Alan had three kids, and she’d worked in sales for LIC and at the Waitoa Dairy Factory in its micro lab. In 2004 they bought a dairy farm in Arohena (30 minutes south of Te Awamutu). Both worked full time on the farm for 16 years, which also allowed Karina to indulge her passion for soils, grass and animals. Later, she joined LIC’s fast-paced liquid semen production lab as Team Lead, before taking up roles at Synlait, and then joining DairyNZ’s regional team in 2026.
