Good afternoon, it is a pleasure to be here to recognise the success of your students and it's fantastic to see so many here to support these young people.

Success is a hard goal without the support of others - families, fellow students and the local community - so I thank you all for your contribution.

Everyone here today will be aware of the importance of the agricultural industry to New Zealand. It is the engine room of our economy.

The primary sectors generate around two-thirds of New Zealand's merchandise export earnings. It is the one sector where we have sufficient scale, market share and well-developed supply chains to be truly competitive internationally.

In the longer term, New Zealand's food and fibre producing capability is likely to be even more important due to a growing world population and increasingly scarce natural resources.

But right now, our industries face a complex set of challenges.

One of these relates to the supply of appropriately skilled labour.

Farmers are business people who run complex operations, often in a difficult environment.

The capabilities and career aspirations required of farm owners, managers and employees in the agricultural industry are changing.

These changes present challenges and opportunities both for those already working in the sector, and those looking to join it.

We need more people in the agriculture industry to respond to these opportunities - the sector needs motivated keen people at all stages from farm assistants to sharemilkers to herd or production managers to farm owners.

Equally, the industry needs the support of those who work in near-farm roles, such as research scientists, farm advisors, bankers and veterinarians.

It is clear to me that Taratahi has long understood the importance of developing skilled people in the industry.

Young people like yourselves are the product of that foresight and of your own dedication to developing the skills you will need throughout your careers.

A highly-skilled workforce, filled with people like you, will enable the industry to address the challenges and opportunities of a fast-changing industry.

And Taratahi is certainly doing its part to assist the industry to meet these challenges - by developing young people with the right skills, the right experience and most importantly the right attitude to really contribute to the sector's growth.

The Taratahi National Seminar in August, which was very well supported by leading industry people, and which I also attended, was clearly aimed at addressing the needs of the industry, employers, and learners - and consequently the needs of New Zealand.

I was also delighted to see that Taratahi's Primary Industries Trades Academy was one of the five, out of more than 100 proposals, that the Ministry of Education saw as meriting immediate progression to an implementation planning phase.

I look forward to seeing the Trades Academy up and running, motivating more young people to stay in education, providing them with clear pathways to employment.

As these goals are already at the heart of what Taratahi is about, I have no doubt that the Trades Academy will be a success.

And with all these activities going on, it's no wonder that Taratahi has needed to grow, to purchase more land, more stock and to further develop its facilities. I have been happy to facilitate this, through ministerial approvals, and was thrilled to see today the results of that investment.

I would like to congratulate you all again. It's a wonderful achievement to graduate here today and I trust you will make the most of the grounding you have had here to forge exciting, constructive and fulfilling careers.

I leave you with this challenge. Take what you have learned here at Taratahi and be proud of it. Don't see it as the end of your training, but as a starting point to the professional development you will continue throughout your careers.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavours. Thank you.