92 | Chris discovers the luxury of time The property has grown substantially since Chris began working there in 2000. Karen Phelps Chris Dillon has discovered the luxury of time since stepping down from his role as Federated Farmers Southland President, allowing him to reassess and restructure his 731-hectare farming operation at Balfour creating what he hopes will be an easier-to-run system with improved work-life balance. “You don’t really realise the amount of work involved in a Federated Farmers role. You just get on and do it,” says Chris. “It’s not until you’ve finished that you realise how much you did and how much time it took while trying to do your farm work.” The property has grown substantially since Chris began working there in 2000, expanding from just over 200 hectares. Now Chris and wife Rochelle operate a diversified farming system with 600 hectares dedicated to cereal crops including wheat, barley, brassicas and pulses. The remaining land supports grazing beef, deer and lambs. “This has given diversity to our business so we spread our risk and use the land in the way it is best suited,” explains Chris. Recent analysis of the operation has prompted system modifications designed to better suit the land’s characteristics. A key development has been expanding lamb grazing to year-round, rather than the previous winter-only approach. “We have established a good relationship with another farmer for lamb grazing,” says Chris. “It also allows us an extra break crop that suits the system well.” The shift provides additional tools for weed management including growing brassica crops like forage rape and grazing lambs on them to eliminate grass weeds at the same time introducing different chemistry rotations. Perhaps most significantly, the changes have created a less intensive wintering system without dairy grazing stock, resulting in improved work-life balance. “Not being flat out year round is good as there was never a down time with what we were doing before,” explains Chris. He says the 2024 season presented considerable challenges. “It was wet for three months over spring and limited our options of what crops we could plant as they got put in late,” says Chris. “We grew more lamb feed and grasses rather than battling with later cereals. Despite challenging autumn weather, a strong finish allowed some late plantings.” Current market conditions have created opportunities. Increased demand from the dairy industry for cereals, combined with reduced production from the previous season, has generated ON FARM » Chris Dillon upward price pressure. The Dillon’s farming operation employs one full-time staff member with extra staff employed during harvesting season. Rochelle manages the financial side of the business and fills in as needed, particularly during harvest when she looks after the staff and drives trailers. Chris maintains his involvement in industry leadership through the National Arable Executive for Federated Farmers, continuing advocacy work for the sector. “Arable is a small part of farming in New Zealand but we are very important to the livestock sector regarding the feeds we supply,” says Chris. “We grow a lot of seeds for the export market but the domestic market is equally important with specific seed crops grown for that as well.” Proudly supporting Chris Dillon He considers that the current political climate provides additional optimism for the farming sector. “This government understands a little bit more about how farming works and the rules are less prescriptive and they seem to be heading towards regulation that is more achievable.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=