My name is Dr Hugh Jellie. I’m the Founder and Chief Executive of Āta. I love working in the rural sector and I’m passionate about agriculture and the environment. During my long career I have become saddened by the impact industrialised farming has had on the environment and the communities reliant on having a healthy ecological system to protect and support them. The quest for more and more production has compromised New Zealand’s clean, green status. Āta is my way of doing something about this problem. It’s my way of giving back.

We all know that times are changing. You only need to look out your window to witness that. After a long career as a Veterinarian I have experienced the downside of intensive agriculture up close and I didn’t like what it did to people, animals or their environments. I have observed agriculture in many regions of the world and have spent the last 20 years investing in understanding and learning about the best solutions for New Zealand farming settings.

I am committed to changing the paradigm in NZ. The mechanistic, industrialised model of business or farming has not served us well. We must stop taking through production at all costs and learn from living systems how we better connect with each and with the land. After 12 years of global research, I’m confident about the benefits regenerative design can provide to farming and organisations and I’m looking forward to helping New Zealand farmers and organisations develop future-proof methods to support strong, healthy, ecological farming environments, which will be capable of producing the best food in the world.