58 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Ashley and Kayla Riley / Jason Radd 5th-gen going strong Moved to organic The operation is largely self-sufficient, supported by a 440-hectare dry stock farm. Karen Phelps Karen Phelps Fifth-generation Collingwood farmers, Ashley and Kayla Riley of Riverlea Ayrshires in Golden Bay, have taken the next step in their family’s farming legacy, moving into a 50:50 sharemilking arrangement on the family farm. The couple is now approaching the end of their first season in the new setup, which has largely been a financial rather than operational shift. “It’s been good to have a bit more responsibility but a big daunting to see the rising costs of some things like machinery and stock. But overall it’s been a positive move,” says Ashley. “I’ve been managing the farm for ten years so from a day-to-day management perspective little has changed.” Ashley explains the season has been a mixed bag. “We are down in production about 1–2% at this point. We had it good up to mid-September and then it got wet, which has hampered things. We’re planning to hold onto twice a day a bit longer and with a good autumn we should make up lost ground.” The Rileys are aiming for 160,000 kilograms of milk solids, focusing on refining the system to reduce swings in production caused by weather. “We lose more production from rain than dry. So it’s about fully feeding the cows and trying to have more supplement on hand,” says Ashley. The farm, Riverlea Ayrshires, spans 200 hectares, with 155 hectares effective, and this season peaked at 425 Ayrshire cows, 92 per cent of which are pedigree. That makes Riverlea one of the larger pedigree Ayrshire herds in New Zealand, says Ashley. The breed fits well with their dual-purpose system, producing quality milk while also raising steers for beef. The operation is largely self-sufficient, supported by a 440-hectare dry stock farm at Rakopi, used After years working within conventional dairy systems, Northland farm manager Jason Radd has transitioned to organics. His pathway into farming started through Ag ITO, now known as Primary ITO, where he mastered the groundwork required for a career in the dairy sector. Although an overseas break pulled him away briefly, he soon returned, keen to pick up where he left. He returned to farm life in Pirongia in the Waikato before taking up his current role in Northland, but over time, he began questioning farming processes and how things could be done differently. Jason is now general manager of three farms owned by the same company, including Goodfarms Dairy Ltd, where he oversees a 320 cow operation that has firmly turned its focus to organics. The farm aligns with his values, including organic systems, something he was keen on after growing tired of farming the traditional way. He had previously felt constrained by a system where many issues were addressed with chemical solutions. “So, we were looking at other ways of achieving the outcomes that we were looking for.” It was that mindset that led him to organic farming, a system that refrains from synthetic pesticides, fertilisers, GMOs and antibiotics, and instead focuses on methods designed to benefit people, animals and the environment. Jason says mindset played a significant role in the transition. While organic farming was growing in popularity, making the change required a willingness to think differently and challenge long-held practices. “I don’t think farming is easy, however you do it,” he says. The move to organics at Goodfarms Dairy Ltd, a 200 hectare milking platform, supported by 70 hectares of young stock, required commitment and careful planning. Certification comes with strict regulations and for winter cropping and raising replacement stock. Ninety to one hundred dairy-beef cross calves are taken through to two-and-a-half-year-olds and sold to the works at an average carcass weight of 280 kilograms. Genetic improvement remains a key focus for the family, with a strong breeding programme established by Ashley’s parents, Stewart and Marice Riley, who purchased the family farm in 1998. Their overall goal is to produce bull calves accepted into Artificial Breeding (AB) sire schemes. The stud is owned by Stewart and Marice with succession in progress as Ashley and Kayla progressively purchase the stock. The Rileys’ sire bull, Riverlea Samuel, was accepted into the AB scheme and is currently one of the highest Breeding Worth Ayrshire bulls in New Zealand. The family also has Riverlea Dynamite in the scheme and Riverlea Bandit, the first bull exclusively owned and bred by Ashley and Kayla, has been accepted to the scheme this season carrying on the family legacy. “We’re quite stoked to have him in there. We’re going to keep persevering with the breeding to see what other great bulls we can produce.” Ashley and Kayla employ one full-time staff member and two casual workers who assist as needed. Kayla has her own business, Blissful Beauty, which she from the farm. She works four days a week in the beauty business and helps on the farm as needed. The couple have three children: Laken, aged 10, Hudson, 9 and Amara, 6 years. Ashley has three siblings involved in farming and says his and Kayla’s next step depends on his parents completing the farm succession plan. “So we will focus on paying down debt, so if it does happen to be possible for farm ownership at some stage, we could be in a position to do that. It’s about keeping the farm in the family.” annual audits to ensure compliance with the markets the farm supplies, currently including Fonterra. “Otherwise we aren’t classed as organic and we won’t get the premium for the milk.” Support throughout the conversion process proved invaluable. A facilitator helped connect Jason with a discussion group of organic farmers, creating opportunities to share knowledge and experiences. “With the help of people around us that had been organic farming for a long time, or had been farming for a long time, it had made things a lot simpler.” Homeopathy is among the practices now used on-farm, contributing to animal health and wellbeing. The holistic approach organic systems allow is something Jason appreciates, and overall is a concept he was pleased to have investigated. “[Organic farming] works well, it works very well.” Beyond the dairy platform, one of the company’s other farms is currently in conversion, while a separate beef unit raises calves from the dairy operations. The season so far has tracked well. “We’ve been getting some good rain this summer, it helps heaps.” Anyone contemplating a similar shift, Jason’s advice to them is to “get on-farm with someone who is already doing it”. For Jason, the move to organics has been about more than production. It is about finding a system that aligns with his values and delivers results. And, as he says, if he didn’t enjoy it, he wouldn’t be doing it. 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