| 85 Bringing real-world value to farmers Kelly Deeks For Andy Roberts of Koi Ag, a passion for machinery, a love of farming, and a hands-on approach to trial and error have shaped a rural contracting business that brings real-world value to farmers across Eastern Southland and West Otago. At Willowbank just outside of Gore, Andy took over an existing contracting run about a decade ago, purchasing machinery and building up a client base from the ground up. Having working on several farms both locally and overseas postuniversity, he saw the opportunity to combine his technical interest in machinery with a desire to support local farmers. One of Koi Ag’s key strengths is its deep understanding of wintering systems, something Andy and his team have refined over time. “Wintering is a big part of our business now, he says. “We’re putting crops in for clients that we also grow ourselves and feed to our own stock, so we understand the costs and the pressure. We’ve done a lot of fine-tuning on our own farm to get it right for our clients.” Andy draws directly from his own experience running a mixed arable and livestock operation. “We’ve got a fair chunk of leased ground ourselves, and we’re out there doing pretty much everything except milking cows,” he says. “We’re grazing sheep, beef, and deer, and growing crops. We’re living it, and it means our advice is backed by experience.” That trial and error approach has helped Koi Ag develop systems and efficiencies that directly benefit clients, especially in unpredictable seasons. A great example is their recent investment in a combination drill, which enables two-pass operations to be done in one pass. “That drill came into its own this season with the wet weather,” Andy says. “We’ve got such a narrow window to get work done and with that machine we can take a third off the time and a third off the machine hours needed to establish a crop in some cases. It’s a real asset for us and for our clients.” Andy says helping farmers unlock the potential in their systems is what drives Koi Ag. “We’re not just here to do a job and go. RURAL SERVICES » Koi Ag We want to support farmers to improve their systems, to be more efficient, and to get more out of what they’ve already got.” But it’s not without challenges. Volatile commodity prices and high capital costs are putting pressure on everyone, contractors included. “My costs have doubled in the past 10 years, but the rates we charge out haven’t,” Andy says. Covering Northern / Eastern Southland &West Otago Call Matt 0800 688 6922 or matt@cruickshankheli.nz . Call for all your Agricultural Needs Spraying • Fertiliser • Seeding • Mustering No call out fee 24 hr / 7 day service GORE’S DEDICATED HYDRAULIC HOSE REPAIR & SERVICING SPECIALIST 18 Racecourse Road, Gore | Chris Parish 021 274 9372 CARD ACCEPTED HERE Covering Otago & Southland 0800 227 226 www.advance-agriculture.co.nz Proud to support Koi Ag Specialist Suppliers of Agricultural Chemical, Seed, Spray Equipment & GPS Precision Ag Proud to support Koi Ag • Grassland Aerator • Soil Aerator/Cultivator • Auto Reset Aerator • Turf Aerator • Mole Plough • Dual Mole Plough • Pre-ripper • Super Ripper • Subsoilers • Super Subsoilers Tipper • Dual • Pipe Laying • Baleage Tow Hitch We Specialise in Phone: 03 207 1837 www.jamesengineering.co.nz “That’s why we’ve diversified a lot over the years. It’s one of our core strengths, but it also means there’s always something vying for attention.” Andy aims to expand his own farming operation, particularly in the beef breeding enterprise. “I’m getting more interested in breeding fast growing beef animals and it’s become a bit of a passion for me. We’re heading that way more and more.” Ultimately, Koi Ag’s point of difference lies in its real-world experience and its willingness to innovate. “If we’re advising someone on something, it’s because we’ve had a go at it ourselves. We’re accountable to what we know, and what we know, we’ve learned by doing.” Andy draws directly from his own experience running a mixed arable and livestock operation.
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