34 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Oraka Farms McKenzie family extending its operational footprint The Riverton property milks 600 cows and sits about an hour from the Oraka platforms. Karen Phelps The McKenzie family farming operations are expanding rapidly with Oraka Farms and Luceo Dairies recently acquiring another dairy farm under the Luceo Dairies banner that will be taken over on 2nd June. Brad McKenzie says the acquisition maintains the farm’s family heritage alongside extending its operational footprint. Luceo Dairies purchased the Colac Bay farm from Brad’s father’s cousin Ross McKenzie and his wife Donna. The Riverton property milks 600 cows and sits about an hour from the Oraka platforms. It complements an existing 450-hectare support block at Colac Bay already under Oraka Farms. Luceo Dairies already includes a 142-hectare property milking 500 cows, acquired from Brad’s uncle Grant and aunt Phillippa McKenzie, located just three kilometres from Oraka Farms. Combined with a 292-hectare support block at Tuatapere under Oraka Farms, the new acquisition will bring the total milking herd across both businesses to nearly 3,500 cows. The McKenzie family, including Brad, wife Laura, Blair and his wife Brooke, their father Gordon, are all shareholders in the family farming company, continuing a multi-generational legacy of dairy farming. While Blair and Brooke manage day-to-day dairy operations at Oraka Farms, Brad and Laura oversee the support blocks, business management, and the new Colac Bay farm under Luceo Dairies. “It will be a new challenge for Laura and I to run the new farm. We will take over the same staff running the farm, including a farm manager, leaving me to oversee it.” Our Agribusiness team do business best over a cuppa. We come to you, because to help your business, we want to know it as well as you do. We are in your community, using our local knowledge and expertise to help you achieve your goals. Keen to chat with your local team? Check out westpac.co.nz/agribusiness Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply to Westpac products and services. Eligibility and lending criteria apply to some Westpac product and services. Westpac New Zealand Limited. YOUR PADDOCKS ARE OUR OFFICE • to page 36
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