The Vice President of U.S. Crop Protection for BASF decided he wanted a career in agriculture when he was still a young boy growing up on a small farm in New Zealand.

“Mom and Dad farmed on a small holding just outside Christchurch, New Zealand,” Paul said during a recent interview at the BASF Ag Media Solutions Summit. “So farming’s in my blood. It’s all I’ve ever done, all I’ve ever known.” His family operation had mixed crops, peas and cereals, and sheep. “I also worked on a number of local dairies, milking cows on Sundays, and worked on a poultry farm as well,” he said, which impressed upon him the importance of hard work and dedication in agriculture.

Paul moved into agribusiness by taking a job with an ag retailer in New Zealand. “I was lucky to have some great bosses who helped me in terms of guiding my career,” Paul said. He moved on to a seed business in Australia after a few years. “You think that Australia and New Zealand are right next to each other, but the agricultural systems are different in lots of ways,” he said, noting that he worked there for 15 years, including three years with BASF.

Paul has been with BASF for about 11 years, moving to the U.S. eight years ago. “I really enjoy working with my team and seeing us achieve our goals of helping growers push their yields even further,” he said. “When you see growers doing really cool things with this technology, it’s fun.”

Learn more about Paul and BASF in this interview: BASF VP Paul Rea