| 19 Candid about his frustration with regulation James and Jane with their son Matt, daughter in law Shannan, Grandsons Jack and Fergus, Sarge the dog and Sweep the cat. Karen Phelps While the good times are evident for farmers behind the scenes other factors are meaning a juggling act is also often underway. At Waikato farm Maungatapu Downs owners James and Jane Thomas are balancing changing regulations, succession planning and the ever-present unpredictability of the seasons. Their farm total 78ha and milks a herd of 180 Friesian cows through the original 1960s 14 aside herringbone cow shed. “We always look to do things better,” says James. “Plan Change 1 is fast becoming operative and that will impact on land use. For us it’s an issue as we RURAL PEOPLE » Maungatapu Downs Tog Cre Soil We’re proud to support James Thomas and our Ballance Farmers, helping strengthen the communities they live andwork in. are rolling country, so what restrictions will that have on us in terms of cows and so on?” He is candid about his frustration with regulation that fails to account for the diversity of individual farms. “I hate regulations that are one size fits all. What is your stocking rate? What farm system do you run? I always like to see a bit of common sense in farming, to be honest. It might mean we need diversification, and that’s why Jane and I are working off farm.” James is currently serving his fifth term on the Matamata-Piako District Council and is a farm consultant for FarmWise while Jane is a teacher at Morrinsville College. They employ a contract milker. Succession is another matter occupying their thoughts, particularly given the family’s small landholding and the fact the farm was recognised in the Century Farm awards programme a couple of years ago. The couple’s son Matt, who works as a rural banker, and wife Shannan live on the farm with their sons Jack, 4 ½ and Fergus, 2. “Especially after seeing at the Century Farms awards programme that some farms will not be passed to the next generation as they’re not interested, I’d like to see it stay in the family. Fortunately Matt is interested in taking on the farm; it’s just how we do it. That’s the challenge going forward.” Closer at hand, the forecast El Niño weather pattern is weighing on his mind. “I’m taking that seriously, as it’s not unheard of to have dry summers here,” says James. “If it’s an extended dry summer, it’s harder to get supplements and options to feed stock, so we are trying very hard to build up some feed and purchasing feed potentially ahead of time.” That caution is rooted in hard experience. During the 2007/08 drought, a personal family tragedy made timely decisions difficult. “We got caught badly,” recalls James. • to page 20
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