| 49 ARABLE » Marr Farms A broadened perspective on markets and trade The Marr operation is a diversified family farming company. KarenPhelps Mid Canterbury mixed cropping farmer Hamish Marr has stepped down from his role as New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, returning full-time focus to the Marr family farming business with a broadened perspective on markets, trade and the pressures facing arable farming. Based at Longfield, which sits 450 metres above sea level on river terraces between the Rakaia Gorge and Methven, the Marr operation is a diversified family farming company built deliberately to avoid reliance on any single person. The business involves Hamish and his wife Melanie, his parents Graham and Eleanor, his brother Stuart and sisterin-law Jessica, alongside two full-time staff. “We are a family farming operation and all of us can do everything,” says Hamish. “Everyone stepped up a bit more at certain times while I had my off farm role.” He explains that the transition into the trade role was carefully planned with off-farm commitments organised months in advance to identify pinch points. “Day-to-day management wasn’t too bad,” says Hamish. “We’re lucky to live in the period of time we do - emails, texts, phone calls - technology made it easy. I was only ever a phone call away.” Reflecting on his time as trade envoy he points to the ratification of major trade agreements as a defining focus. “New Zealand exports 95 per cent of what it produces,” says Hamish. “Eighty-two per cent of our goods receipts come from agricultural exports, so this matters enormously. It was about working out where in the market our product is best suited and where the highest value is. We’re a unique producer - our meat is predominantly grass-fed and our dairy is pasture-based. We need to pitch ourselves as high quality, high value and easy to do business with.” That experience has sharpened his thinking about his own farm. “It has really changed my eyes as to how trade works,” says Hamish. “Farmers produce a wonderful product but are often naïve about where it goes and what customers want. Perspective is everything.” He says he is keen to build closer links with end markets. “Our seed ends up in Europe and the USA and I wouldn’t be averse to getting on a plane and seeing our clients,” says Hamish. “The more farmers understand their markets, the better off they are.” Longfield spans 410 hectares and is a mixed crop and stock operation with 140 hectares in cocksfoot seed and the balance in wheat, barley, oats, processed peas and red clover. It also winters R1 and R2 dairy stock and has a lamb grazing operation in the autumn. A further 170-hectare dairy farm, added 12 months ago and located eight kilometres away, milks 630 Kiwicross cows through a 62-bail ˀˢ˟˟ˢˬ ʴ˚˥˜˖˨˟˧˨˥˘ ˜˦ ˣ˥ˢ˨˗ ˧ˢ ˦˨ˣˣˢ˥˧ ˀ˔˥˥ ʹ˔˥ˠ˦ ʧʣʥ ˀʸˇʻˉʸˁ ʶʻʸ˅ˇˆʸˌ ˅˂ʴʷʟ ˀʸˇʻˉʸˁ ˯ ʣʦ ʦʣʥ lzʣʬlz ˯ ˊˊˊʡˀ˂ʿʿ˂ˌʴʺʡʶ˂ʡˁˍ PO Box 28, Line Road, Methven • Ph: 03 302 8616 E: enquiries@philipwareing.co.nz • www.philipwareing.co.nz , , : : . . . . . PROUD TO SUPPORT MARR FARMS • Bulk Grain, Silo & Cool Storage • Firewood & Shingle Supplies • Agricultural Spraying • Lime & Super Spreading • Precision Nitrogen Sowing • Swing-Lifting • Log, Hay & Straw, Grain, Stock & Container Cartage rotary with automatic drafting and grain feeding. The irrigated unit supplies Fonterra, creating what Hamish describes as a closed loop. “We used to sell feed to other people,” he says. “Now we grow some of that feed for ourselves. Mixed arable farming is challenging so we had to diversify.” Wet weather has made producing consistent quality increasingly difficult in recent years for Hamish’s family with the economics of arable farming remaining the biggest concern industry wide. “The challenge in arable farming is that the price of our product hasn’t kept up with input inflation,” says Hamish. “It’s not profitable at present and that’s a very real issue. We’ll see more diversification and dairy conversions.” Despite the challenges, his time offshore reinforced pride in the sector. “New Zealand farming is a really good news story. When I was away I was so proud to be a New Zealand farmer as the world is in awe of our farming system. We’re a country of no subsidies so we’ve had to learn to be efficient. Our grazing systems are world leading. Farmers from one end of the country to the other should be proud of the job they’re doing.”
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