| 101 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE CANTERBURY » Tomara Dairies The team is milking 860 cows, predominately Friesian, on a 60 bale rotary. IRRIGATE WITH CONFIDENCE · IRRIGATION SYSTEMS · REMOTE MANAGEMENT · PRECISION VRI Tomara Dairies JJ LIMITED ASHBURTON PLEASED TO SUPPORT TOMARA DAIRIES THE NEWMF 8S SERIES 205 – 265 HP NEW CAB ENVIRONMENT - The quietest cab on the market. NEW DYNA-7 AND DYNA E-POWER TRANSMISSIONS - 25% increased efficiency and 5% better fuel economy. 100% CONNECTED - Comes with free 5 year MF Connect telemetry subscription and optional precision farming suite for maximum uptime. Graham and Jane purchased a cropping block in 1998 and adjoining block in 2003 on the other side of the Hinds river and a few years later converted this to a dairy farm known as Grajan Farms Ltd (the rst three letters of their names). This farm is now operated by contract milkers Dylan and Tash, who have worked their way up the dairy system and are just starting their fth season. Grajan Farm milks 860 Friesian cows on 250 platform with a concrete feed pad. Both farms run a system ve operation with an average of 2220kg MS/Ha. Son Mark has worked his way through the system, as the couple’s contract milker and now he is overall operations manager, also responsible for all nancial aspects, ordering feed, the ever increasing farm compliance, breeding and young stock rearing. Mark also operates a run off grazing area at Mt Somers on a 200ha leased block for the R1 and R2 heifers and while taking care of all this also helps with family life with wife Nelle and two children. While positive about the outlook for dairying in the region, Graham has deep concerns about the environment compliances being demanded of farmers. “I think we’ve been thrown under the bus by policy makers who don’t understand the implications of all they expect us to do. The time-frames are a real stress and I’m not convinced about the evidence linking dairying with global warming”. Graham also says for those aspiring to farm ownership increasingly, if there isn’t family money available to help a couple get started then it is becoming quite out of reach for most. “But not impossible as we have had a contract milking couple move away to a share milking position with the goal of farm ownership by the age of 40 and he has recently reached this goal, with tremendous hard work and dedication with the assistance of his partner, at the age of 38.” Graham feels, however, that there is huge potential for equity partnerships and for farm managers to advance. “There’s a stigma we offer poor pay and poor housing but this simply isn’t the case”. These days Graham’s role is concentrating on the arable side of the farm, planting and irrigation of 180ha winter feed and 85ha of maize and barley. Along with the help of his brother John they do all the new pasture seeding, fertilizer spraying, cultivation, repairs on farm and irrigation development. “I know both Jane and I have worked very hard on our farming business to be where we are at our stage in life and I’m happy we’re in a position to support the next generation and others aspiring to advance their own farming businesses”. “I think we’ve been thrown under the bus by policy makers who don’t understand the implications of all they expect us to do”.
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