Virginia Serra

Based in Lincoln, Virginia talks about how her role supports her team in what they’re trying to achieve for farmers – and what she loves most about her job.

“I’m a people person, so working with a highly motivated and skilled team of specialists and developers is great,” enthuses Virginia. “They’re all experts in their own right. I’m privileged to lead and learn from that group.”

The specialists in Virginia’s team each cover a different area of the business, from environment to farm systems, business and everything in between. They’re in front of farmers at events, discussion groups, and one-on-one opportunities (often supporting DairyNZ’s regional team members around this). Her developers though, are more office-based, focusing on other behind-the-scenes work.

Getting out on-farm is something Virginia still tries to do whenever she can, particularly during her previous roles as a regional team member and as a specialist. Having worked at DairyNZ for more than two decades, on-farm is another place she gets her people fix.

“When I go to a farm, you see the milking shed, the paddocks, the cows – but it’s the conversation in the kitchen that’s the most interesting part to me!”

Virginia’s also involved in DairyNZ research and projects, particularly those directly including farmers and DairyNZ partner farms.

“We’re trying to help farmers change what they do by implementing our solutions on-farm to improve their farm businesses’ profitability, environmental footprint, resilience and sustainability,” she says. “Along with my team of specialists, I also get very involved in adverse events, whether that’s a biosecurity response or a bad weather event, such as the one which affected parts of the South Island in October 2025.

“Working with partners in the sector is another a key part of what we do. That way we can reach farmers through our channels but also through other partners’ and their channels as well, while making sure all our messaging aligns.”

Ultimately, Virginia wants farmers to know her team is there for them.

“Using a farm systems lens to provide fit-for-purpose, integrated and practical solutions so farmers can ensure their businesses are future-fit, profitable, efficient, resilient and sustainable, is our goal. We’re here to make farmers’ lives easier and their businesses more successful across the board.”

• Find out more about DairyNZ’s other specialist team members.
• Check out our research team and our regional teams.