In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Lisa Portas, a 2025 Nuffield Scholar and agribusiness director from New Zealand, explores the shifting economics of strong wool. She unpacks why synthetic fibers disrupted the market, what makes value-added wool promising again, and how infrastructure and accreditation could transform the sector. Discover how global travel is shaping her thinking on regenerative farming and supply chain reinvention. Listen now on all major platforms!
Meet the guest:
Lisa Portas is a director, former farm operator, and a 2025 Nuffield Scholar based in New Zealand’s Wairarapa region. With over a decade of leadership in agribusiness diversification, she focuses on value chains, wool innovation, and export development. Her current research explores how strong wool producers can regain profitability through direct supply chains, farm-level practices, and global accreditation strategies.
What you will learn:
(00:00) Introduction
(04:48) Strong wool economics
(07:00) Infrastructure decline
(10:12) Wool market innovation
(14:09) Government policy shifts
(18:20) Merino vs. strong wool
(24:04) Closing thoughts
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