52 | RURAL PEOPLE » Poporangi Farm Succession plan a focus for family Sue Russell With the goal to always keep Poporangi Farm in the family, the Spall family have carefully prepared a succession strategy. The 477ha sheep, beef and goat farm, 44ha west of Hastings at Kereru, is also home to regenerating native bush and farm forestry blocks. Today Poporangi Farm is managed by Stuart and Beatrice Spall, with Stuart’s parents Jim and Christine, who bought the property in 1992, taking a step back from day to day management responsibilities. This period of transition is part of a succession plan driven by Stuart’s three siblings, who are not involved in the farm’s operation, all wishing to see the family home stay in the family. Jim says the process has been helped by receiving sound advice, especially from their accountant. He advocates that all farming families get a discussion within the family going earlier than later in order to allow enough time for the right path forward to be formulated. “When Stuart came back to the farm in 2018, having completed an Agri-Science degree, it enabled us to take the first steps. We formed a company as the vehicle through which ownership could be transitioned. We did a bit of talking in the family and our other children understood it would be Stuart who would end up with the farm,” Jim says. And as he points out, this issue of succession is going to become more visible as the ‘baby-boomers’ reach the age where they want to step back from direct farm ownership responsibilities. The farm has been good for all the children, enabling the next generation to take up successful careers in their own right. Working on the farm are Stuart, with support from Jim and a general part-time hand who undertakes odd jobs a couple of days a week. Approaching age 68 in November Jim says it feels like the right time to be stepping back, though he intends to input actively into the bigger farm discussions. Cyclone Gabrielle caused some damage on the farm, though not anywhere near as devastating as farm’s further north. “We had some slips along boundaries and we lost some access. The dam went through our main pumping system below it and we’ve had to spend over $100,000 to reinstate necessary infrastucture,” says Stuart. Choosing to see the impact Gabrielle brought as an opportunity to future-proof for similar such events has been the attitude the family have taken to necessary repairs. “We’ve prepared things to handle the same event. We’ve rebuilt very robustly knowing these events, both dry and wet, will be our reality in years to come,” Jim says. Growing more trees to strengthen the soil in slip-prone areas has become a priority. Recognition of the fine work the Spall’s have achieved in enhancing the farm’s environmental footprint has come in the form of two gongs at this year’s East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards, held in March – the Hill Laboratories Agri-science and the NZFET Climate Recognition Awards. Stuart recalls how Poporangi Farm came to be involved in the awards programme. “I was prompted by our Ballance fert rep. I didn’t realise exactly what the awards were about. I thought the farm was already heading in the right direction environmentally and I found the process really rewarding. It caused us to review everything we were doing.” The quality of feedback from judges who visited the farm was second-to-none. “It encouraged us to keep going to further do what we have been doing.” A clear, achievable and practical farm environment plan has been documented and guides annual activity across the whole farm, with the view always of improving the look and environmental outcomes of the property. The Agri-Science award was given in recognition of the use of Cloud-Farmer computer technology systems applying across all aspects of Poporangi’s daily operation. A shift to growing chicory plantain for finishing lambs stems back over a decade when Jim read an article by Peter Kemp, professor of Pasture Science at Massey University, which explained the benefits growing chicory, with its massive root systems, would provide to put weight and condition on to lambs in a shorter period of time. “As breeder-finishers the trick is to able to finish them properly, reaching goal weight sooner.” Poporangi Farm has four main activity centres: Sheep breeding and finishing, carrying 1850 mixed-age ewes and 600 ewe hoggets. Each year the farm also carries about 440 Friesian bulls. As calves these are reared in spring and autumn groups. All are carried through to finishing. Farm forestry is another activity, with 18ha replanted having been logged in 2017. Redwood has been planted on 1ha as a longer term venture. A herd of 50 Angora goats completes the third income stream, shorn six-monthly for their fibre they are also useful for weed and acorn control. “Acorns are toxic to sheep and cattle so we graze our goats where the acorns fall.” Stuart says he’s keen on introducing loweremission genetics to do their bit for reducing green-house gas emissions. As he points out, being able to grow out stock to finishing weight more quickly, this of itself reduces gas outputs. Water quality doesn’t skip attention either! Sediment traps filter any water from the paddocks before leaving the farm boundary with most fenced and planted with native shrubs and trees. All permanent water-ways have been fenced and are in gorges with regenerating bush.. With a farm environment plan and nutrient budget secured the third environmental tool to be implemented is MitAgator®, which will be used at Poporangi to provide slope mapping data. This means those areas where the greatest nutrient loss is likely are documented. Stuart says its been a delight to see the return of native flora and fauna to parts of the farm now fenced off from stock. “We’re very pleased with how the farm is operating and looking despite the recent challenges.” Jim and Christine Spall, who bought the property in 1992, with son Stuart & Beatrice Spall and family. Financial success is more than just keeping your books in order; That’s why we go far beyond book keeping. i i i j i i ; ’ i . Proudly supporting Poporangi Farm 06 357 5793 | office@lpw.co.nz | www.lpw.co.nz Warren Patterson & Daniel Willson Directors /LYHVWRFN DW \RXU ˋQJHUWLSV Contact me today for all your livestock needs Proudly Supporting Poporangi Farms Ltd Bain Champion PH 027 949 6138 | bain@fairviewlivestock.co.nz Servicing the Wider Hawkes Bay Region
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