32 | A vital voice for sheep and beef farmers Malcolm and Matthew Roy shearing. Malcolm Roy and his horse Ada looking out over the farm and easy run country on the property. Kim Newth Lesley Roy may not be the one out shifting stock each day or working in the yards, but she’s fast becoming a vital voice for South Canterbury’s sheep and beef farmers. Encouraged by a long-time chair and neighbour who saw potential in her advocacy skills, Lesley recently stepped into the co-chair role for Federated Farmers’ meat and wool section in the region, despite initial doubts about being the right fit. “I’m not the day-to-day farmer in the household - that’s my husband,” she says. But after attending a few meetings to get a feel for it, she found herself drawn in. “I realised I could offer something.” Now, as she gradually takes over the role, she’s one of 24 regional voices on Federated Farmers’ national Meat and Wool Industry Group. “Our role is to represent farmers in our area, feed issues up the chain, and ensure information flows both ways,” she says. “Feds is farmer-led, so that on-the-ground voice really matters.” Pest pressure is high on Lesley’s radar - particularly wallabies and pigs, which have become increasingly problematic in South Canterbury. “Wallabies are a unique challenge here. We need central government to take a robust and coordinated approach to pest control,” she says. Lesley acknowledges there are many factors outside farmers’ control, like weather and market prices, but she says producers do have agency over what they provide and their farm’s productivity. “You know, the overarching challenge is always going to be profitability...And obviously wool has had its challenges in recent years, but there’s some great work being done now by some organisations to try and revive that, and people are starting to see the benefits of wool.” Lesley and her husband farm 2,100 hectares of hill country straddling the Waimate and Mackenzie districts. The Pareora River cuts through the property, dividing the two. With approximately 5,000 stock units - a mix of Angus cattle and Perendale ewes, using Texel terminal sires - it’s a traditional South Island hill block in both feel and function. “My husband is the guy running the farm. He’s never happier than on a horse with a team of dogs,” Lesley says. Lesley, meanwhile, keeps the “engine room” humming, handling the finances, compliance and RURAL PEOPLE » Lesley Roy paperwork, while also pitching in at key times like tailing and shearing. It’s very much a family affair, though not in the traditional intergenerational sense. “We started as equity farmers. We bought out our partners in 2014 and moved to this property in 2017,” she says. Their two adult children are both in agriculture - one runs a livestock services business, and the other, after studying ag at Lincoln, is now working with their sibling. While both remain involved, succession isn’t straightforward. “We’re still carrying the debt load, so handing it on isn’t easy. But we’re having the conversations.” She points to the layered options in dairy - sharemilking and contract models that give young people a way in - as something maybe that the meat and wool sector could learn from to keep talent in the industry. ARTIN W W AKEFIELD LTD Level 1, 26 Canon Street, Timaru • 03 687 7122 • Fax: 03 684 8558 • reception@martinwakefield.co.nz • www.martinwakefield.co.nz ACCOUNTING SERVICES RURAL BUSINESS SERVICES Benchmarking • Bookkeeping / accounting • Budgeting • Business Start-up • Financing • Cash Flow Forecasting • Financial Planning • Monitored Business Performance • Office Duties • Payroll Services • Portfolio Management • Software Solutions • Strategic Planning WE WORK WITH Proud to support Lesley Roy
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=