Finding Value in Unexpected Conversations: Lessons from a Kiwi Fruit Farmer

Earlier this week, I attended a conference that, at first, I thought might be a bit of a waste of time. Like many of us, I go to these events hoping to walk away with one or two ideas I can practically apply. The sessions touched on themes like adaptability and variability. Interesting concepts, but I couldn’t help thinking about where many of my clients are at.

For a lot of them, even getting the basics of control management right is still a challenge. So as I sat there, I wasn’t sure I was really getting much value from the event.

Then a simple conversation completely changed that.

A Chance Meeting with a Kiwi Fruit Farmer

During one of the networking breaks, I struck up a chat with a kiwi fruit farmer and someone who manages health and safety in that space. On the surface, there’s not much overlap between kiwi fruit farming and the mining, oil, and gas industries where I usually work. But as we talked, we found more common ground than I expected.

He explained some of the challenges they face on their farms. Things like workers having to climb ladders and use chainsaws. My first reaction was, “That’s not something we deal with in our world.” But then I started thinking: what are the principles we use in mining that could translate into his context?

Applying High-Risk Industry Thinking in a Simpler Setting

One example we discussed was the concept of a stop point (or start point), where workers ensure all key controls are in place before starting an activity. It’s a simple idea, but for him, it was a breakthrough. He’d been struggling to find practical ways to get better control of higher-risk tasks that couldn’t just be eliminated.

Another challenge he described was managing seasonal workers, many of whom have limited English skills or varying levels of risk awareness. We talked about how to design health and safety systems that are simple, accessible, and not overwhelming.

We also covered the role of leadership — how to get managers to truly buy into risk management, not just comply with it.

Bridging Industries and Sharing What Works

That conversation turned out to be the highlight of the week. It reminded me that sometimes, the biggest value we bring as professionals isn’t in our technical expertise alone, but in helping others apply what we’ve learned in a way that fits their context.

It also got me thinking:
How can we, as a profession, do more of this?
Those of us who’ve worked with major organizations, with access to resources and well-developed systems how can we share those insights with industries that don’t have the same budgets, maturity, or knowledge base?

It’s a challenge worth thinking deeply about, and I’d love to hear others’ thoughts.

Final Reflection:

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Conferences often promise big ideas, but sometimes the real value lies in the small, human connections. Those unplanned moments where experience meets opportunity. This one reminded me that impactful safety and risk management isn’t just about theory; it’s about translation, empathy, and meeting people where they are.

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