52 | Rangitikei: Atihau Whanganui Inc Diversification strategy includes manuka honey T T from page 50 Awhi CEO Andrew Beijeman: “I get to work with a great group of people.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Atihau’s farms all work together in the spirit of co-operation so that if one farm is a bit tight on feed, stock can be transferred to another farm and if there is any surplus supplementary feed on one property it gets transferred to another property that might need it. “It’s a bit of a logistical process,” says Andrew. “Breeding farms work in closely with the finishing farms and the finishing farms keep moving stock out.” In the past times a lot of the land had been leased to other people under 21 year Glasgow leases with the rent paid based on the unimproved land value. Under the Glasgow lease, lessees added their own infrastructure, such as woolsheds or milking sheds, adequate for their own operations. “In the late 90s, early 2000s there was a big resumption programme to bring those leases that were expiring back into Atihau’s own operation. In buying back the leases we also had to buy back the improvements at modern day prices. “Those leases all came back in different states, and with different sized infrastructure. They required quite a bit of deferred maintenance and development work, which is ongoing, but progress is being made every year.” Atihau’s diversification strategy has included the expansion into Manuka honey in 2014 and has grown its hive numbers to 3600 with over 90 tonne harvested per annum. The strategy also includes the purchase of a dairy and arable farm at Bulls — the old Flock house farm – operating it in partnership with Ngati Apa. From an environmental perspective Atihau’s Taiao strategy aims to improve the environment in which it operates, taking a holistic view to include land, water, animals, and people connected to the property. “We’ve been very proactive in the past with riparian fencing and planting, but are now looking to take this further considering amongst others biodiversity and Greenhouse gas emissions. Of the 72 staff employed across Atihau’s farms, about 35% are Uri, or descendants of the original owners. The ultimate goal is for that to be 100%. Andrew says finding staff for the business has been challenging, across all parts of the business. “It’s just a very tight labour market. People have multiple things they can do these days and they don’t have to be farming.” Providing development opportunities through courses for staff wanting to progress their careers is encouraged and Atihau has its own Awhiwhenua apprenticeship programme. “We’ve just being going through a transition over the last eight months moving from a cadetship to the apprenticeship scheme. “The apprenticeship means those participating in the course are employees from year one, doing a level four course over three years. We take three first year sheep and beef apprentices every year targeting Uri and Māori, and want to take on Bee keeping apprentices this year. One of the spin offs from the Incorporation is the Charitable Trust and last year Atihau donated $540,000 into it for distribution. “Grants mainly go towards educational or health purposes, but they also benefit marae. We also sponsor events like the Maimarino Shears when they happen, dog trials and the like.” Andrew has been Atihau’s CEO since 2014, a role that he loves, saying that the incorporation is very purposeful. “The work that we do has meaning to it. We are here to look after the land, so that it may in turn look after us, providing for the health and wellbeing of those connected to the whenua. “I get to work with a great group people, right across the organisation.” “It’s just a very tight labour market. People have multiple things they can do these days and they don’t have to be farming.” WE ALSO SUPPY BUILDERS MIX, BARK & STONE. CALL THE OFFICE FOR A PRICE. ROBBIE: 027 442 8686 (ENQUIRIES) EMAIL: ROBBIE@LILTRANS.CO.NZ 15 RAILWAY ROAD, RAETIHI 4632 • WOOL • TIMER • FERTILIZER • GRAIN • METAL • POSTS • LIME • STOCK FEED SUPPLEMENTS PROUD TO SUPPORT ATIHAU WHANGANUI
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