NZ Dairy Winter 2024

This year has been excellent for Ben Purua who has been named 2024 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year - Page 10 ‘Giving back’ a big motivator WINTER 2024 www.waterfordpress.co.nz

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NZ Dairy accepts no responsibility for loss of photos or manuscripts. #nzdairy #yourstory www.waterfordpress.co.nz   Dairy National Awards �� 03 Alan da Veiga �� 04 Andrew Hazlett �� 05 Rene Ten Bolscher - Clarence Stolte �� 06 Emma Williamson: Amorangi Farms �� 07 Hayden and Alienor Diack: Mahia Dairies �� 08 Daniel Bernard and Jess Matthews: Rosemount Dairy �� 09 Ben Purua: Waimakiriri Lands Ltd �� 10 Jaspreet Singh �� 12 Logan and Sian Dawson: Integrity Farms �� 14 Luke Ackerman �� 16 Matt MacDonald: Glencree Trust �� 17 Isabella Pannettiere: Thornton Park �� 18 Oliver and Lauren Badcock �� 19 Paul and Sarah Koopal �� 20 Sarah Avery: Kovo Farms �� 22 Sophia Clarke: Mills Farm �� 24 Tegan Gray �� 25 Chaminda and Thalinka Wijesooriya �� 26 Ximena Puig and Alvaro Luzardo �� 28 Luke Feisst: RVS Farming Ltd �� 29 Wairarapa Moana Farms �� 30 Trinity Jackson: Ruru Dairy Unit �� 31 Poplar Partnership �� 32 Antje and Soenke Paarmann �� 33 Ben and Anne Marie Bosch �� 34 Blair and Kendra Holdt �� 35 Bruce Eade �� 36 Lindsay and Caroline Burnell �� 38 Hayden Ussher and Gillian Dalley �� 39 Chris and Pauline Prattley �� 40 Cornwall Park Farms Ltd �� 42 Mitchell Dairy Farms �� 44 Henderson Dairy Fresh Milk �� 46 Jamie and Julia Lyons �� 48 Jenna Smith �� 49 Jason and Ayesha McCall: Moocall Farming �� 50 Rylib Group �� 51 Shelley and Pat Schnuriger: Raetea Holsteins �� 54 Terpstra Farming �� 56 Troy Peterson �� 57 Whakatohea �� 58 Waiokura Holstein Friesians �� 60 Waitower Farms - Balmaine �� 61 George Dodson: Omana Farms �� 62 George Letham �� 63 Mangorewa Farms �� 64 Wainono Dairy �� 65 Four Oaks �� 66 Emerald Hills �� 67 Hancock Farms �� 68 Rocklea Farm �� 69 Donalds Farm �� 70 Archway Group �� 72 Arnold Agriculture �� 73 Bluegrass Contracting �� 74 Baz Janssen and Joel Burns �� 76 Dairy Technology Services (DTS) �� 77 Canterbury Farm Services �� 78 Franklin Vets �� 80 Global Veterinary Services �� 81 Kaiwaka Clothing �� 82 Roaches Concrete Products �� 83 Strautmann Hopkins �� 84 Rural Building Solutions �� 86 Torro Contracting �� 87 Waikato Milking Systems �� 88 Waikato Water Boyz �� 89 Bellefield Farms �� 91 Bruce and Mary Thomas �� 92 Hamish Vogan �� 93 Holyhead Farm �� 94 I Guy Ltd �� 95 Maungatapu Downs �� 96 Tomalin Farms �� 98 Waihapa Trust �� 99 Astra Farms �� 100 Daniel and Amanda Schat �� 101 Schouten Dairies �� 102 James and Rollyn Ganzan: Coldstream Farm �� 104 Kenneth and Rachel Short �� 105 26 | ‘Proud of how far we’ve come’ 56 | Breeding top Ayrshires 69 | ‘Transformed’ farm recognised at awards 22 | Awards win helps on career pathway OUR PARTNERS: RESEARCH & MARKETING Sam Dart, Adam Feaver, Chris Graves, Megan Hawkins, Lisa Moffat, Annie Patrick, Chris Pearce, Adam Shirra, Leo Smith, Alasdair Thomson sales@waterfordpress.co.nz PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT General Manager Luke Lynch luke@waterfordpress.co.nz Graphic Artists Connor Gosnell, Anton Gray, Francesca Hildawa, Sophie McCleary, Liki Udam. art@waterfordpress.co.nz CONTENT COORDINATORS Ann-Marie Frentz, Alissa Crosby. 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| 3 nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » National Winners Rising stars crowned at National awards Held at Coronet Peak, Queenstown on Saturday 11 May, the 2024 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards saw 470 people from across the dairy industry gather for a gala dinner to hear the 2024 National winners announced. The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards programme drives best practice for better dairying tomorrow and drives change in areas such as environmental sustainability and animal welfare and the evening was an opportunity to celebrate the great work the rising stars of the industry are doing. The programme shows farmers where they sit in the environmental and sustainability space, how they can improve and who can help them do that. The judges were impressed at the high calibre and diversity of the national finalists. “The finalists may have had different backgrounds, ages, experiences, systems and attitudes however they are all passionate about the dairy industry and the future that they want to be part of.” First time entrants Will Hinton and Kali Rangiawha from Manawatu were named the 2024 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year, impressing the judges with the strength of their partnership. They also won two merit awards, the Ravensdown Sustainable Pasture Award and the Meridian Environmental Sustainability Award, and took home more than $55,000 in prizes. “They are a very good team and one could pick up where the other left off. They are impressive with numbers and are extremely passionate about the dairy industry, what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. They are constantly looking for ways to make positive change, both on and off farm,” the judges said. Northland’s Kieran McCahon became the 2024 New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year and Kirwyn Ellis from Waikato was announced the 2024 New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year. James and Debbie Stewart from Dairylands in Manawatu were named the 2024 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award recipients, taking home the John Wilson Memorial Trophy. This award, which received more than 20 nominations across all regions this year, was created to recognise and celebrate dairy farmers who demonstrate leadership in their approach to sustainability and who are passionate about the four pillars of Responsible Dairying – people and community, finance, environment and animal welfare. “We were left with one big question following our time with Debbie and James – what more could anyone do to demonstrate the notion of ‘responsible dairying’? Their passion, professionalism and leadership within the industry across all aspects of their business is beyond impressive and only surpassed by their dedication to giving back to their local community,” says head panellist Michael Hide. Paul and Sarah Koopal from Central Plateau won the CowManager Experience Award and was provided the cow monitoring system for three years. The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by National Sponsors CowManager, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian, Ravensdown, and Trelleborg, and industry partners DairyNZ, MediaWorks and Rural Training Solutions NZ. 2024 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year Will Hinton and Kali Rangiawha, Manawatu. NZ Dairy Manager of the Year Kieran McCahon, Northland. NZ Dairy Trainee of the Year Kirwyn Ellis, Waikato. 2024 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award Recipients, James and Debbie Stewart, Dairylands, Manawatu. TRACTOR PARTS DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR HIGH QUALITY NEW AND USED PARTS FOR MOST TRACTOR MAKES & MODELS Delivered to your farm within 2-3 days NEW TRACTOR PARTS ENGINE PARTS TRACTOR DISMANTLING All The Common Brands & Complete Engines www.agspares.co.nz Russell Fredric

4 | nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » Alan da Veiga NZ grass greener for Brazilian native Russell Fredric For Brazilian born Alan da Veiga the grass has turned out to be much greener on the other side, both literally and figuratively. A contract milker who emigrated from Brazil 10 years ago, Alan scooped $10,000 in prizes, plus six merit awards at the Canterbury/North Otago Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year regional event held in Ashburton on March 23. He employs his brothers Alex and David in the business, and today they all see their dreams as being progressively fulfilled through the opportunities the industry is providing. Together, they work on a Dairy Holdings 260 hectare, 1000-cow farm at Leeston, absolutely love what they do and are highly motivated to learn and grow and aim to eventually purchase their own dairy farms. Before taking on his present role, Alan managed a dairy farm in Hororata for two years and was a sniper in the Brazilian army before emigrating to New Zealand as a non-English speaker at that time. “I always felt in my heart that I would have to find somewhere better to live; to find opportunity actually.” The Dairy Holdings business model means he can raise extra replacements then lease them back to help to start his own herd which is a real privilege, Alan says. He is justifiably proud of his award and his achievements. “It makes me look back at all the work that I have done for the last few years and be proud of myself and the people that I work with and the people that I helped as well during this journey.” As of June 1 this year, Alan will have a herd of 150 cows which he has accumulated during the past four seasons. He is planning to rear 120 heifer calves in the coming seasons to lease to Dairy Holdings with the goal of becoming at least a lower order sharemilker with 500 cows in two years. He is aiming in 2028/29 to be a 100% herd-owner sharemilker. “It’s like a dream coming true because I started here managing this farm for six months and then I worked my way up to contract milker, and in my first season I bought 50 cows and the same first season I raised 30 heifer calves.” Alan believes it is quite unique to be able to lease the cows back to Dairy Holdings, a New Zealand majority owned and operated company with 100% of its farming assets in the South Island. The irrigated farm runs a simple fully grassbased system. Despite the dry summer, it has been the best season across all metrics, including animal, human and pasture since Alan has been on it. He attributes much of this success to the skills and responsiveness of his four staff and the diligent New Zealand Certified Builders Association CB Construction LTD - New Builds - Additions - Alterations - Farm Buildings Pleased to be associated with Alan da Veiga 0274150471 ivan@imc.net.nz E: john@ruralcoach.co.nz | sarah@ruralcoach.co.nz | chris@ruralcoach.co.nz • Business Planning • Farm Team culture and development • Leadership Development • Succession Planning Proudly Supporting Alan da Veiga www.ruralcoach.co.nz Alan daVeiga FERTILISER SPREADING | FARM MAPPING GPS TRACKING | VARIABLE RATE SPREADING LIVESTOCK CARTAGE | DAILY FREIGHT CONCRETE SUPPLIES | GRAIN CARTAGE SHINGLE SUPPLIES | FERTILISER SUPPLIES Leeston: 03 3248 070 | Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz management of the irrigation. “If you look after the grass then the grass will look after you and then the cows will look after you. We treat the grass very well and then everything else will flow through.” This season’s production is expected to be 300,000 kilograms of milk solids which will be 10,000kgMS higher than last season. The herd is a mix of Friesian, Jersey and Kiwicross. Alan is aiming to have high breeding worth cows and is pleased with their increasing fertility, with the empty rate decreasing from 12% to 8% along with a six week in-calf rate of 73%. Brazilian born Alan da Veiga with the silverware after winning the Share Farmer of the Year in the Canterbury/North Otago Dairy Industry Awards.

| 5 nzdairy Dyslexia no barrier to award winner DAIRY AWARDS » Andrew Hazlett Karen Phelps Dairy Farm Manager of the Year for Otago/ Southland Andrew Hazlett has recently taken out the DeLaval Livestock Management Award at the nationals. The accolades are even more impressive as Andrew has dyslexia and Irlen Syndrome (which causes visual alterations including sensitivity to light and poor adaptation of colour contrasts). The two conditions weren’t diagnosed until Andrew was nearly a teenager and he went from the reading level of a six year old to beyond his real age of 10 years old when he was given the right glasses to manage the Irlen Syndrome. He ran into a trainee at the nationals with the same syndrome and dyslexia affects one in ten New Zealanders meaning the techniques Andrew has learned to successfully do his work on the farm could be valuable for others and the industry as a whole. In fact he is currently passing some of his knowledge on to his second in charge who also has dyslexia. “As an example if it’s an equation I do every day such as feed calculations it’s no problem,” says Andrew. “But if it’s an equation I don’t do often I have it written in a hard copy book. I take a calculator around the farm with me and write things on my phone straight away as otherwise if I looked a cow tag by the time I got back to the office the numbers would be in a completely different order in my head. It’s about working with how my brain naturally works and does things. Technology also helps with Protrack doing a lot of drafting straight from Andrew’s phone to the shed.” Andrew grew up on a dairy farm that his father was managing and started working on it when he was 15. He progressed up the dairy ladder working his way up to his current position on Paul and Rachel Diprose’s 208ha, 570-cow Thornbury property where he is entering his sixth season. The farm is supported by an 80ha run off used for grazing young stock and wintering. Andrew says winning the Livestock Management Award was a huge achievement as it’s the award he values the most as all farming starts with good stock. He is targeting 600kgsMS per cow and is on target to do 561kgsMZ this season. He has been culling the herd for Johne’s Disease and after that will focus on culling the overly big cows that put more food into walking around than producing milk and the smaller cows that will never have the potential to do 600kgsMS. He has also been feeding more grain at certain times of the year, for example 2-3kgs of barley or wheat per cow per day in the shed as well as 19kgs per day in the paddock during mating. The herd is in the top 5% in New Zealand for breeding worth and the top 3% for production worth. Bulls are contract mated to LIC and CRV and the farm currently has the top ranking bull on the CRV national bull team this year called Fred along with another bull called Alpha. Andrew’s wife Hannah works on the farm as well and they have four children: Amber, 14, Mason, 9, Leo, 9 and latest arrival Blake, 17 months. The couple’s aim is to go contract milking soon or to a bigger management position as the next step with the ultimate goal to buy a house and eventually farm ownership. Proudly supporting AndrewHazlett & Paul Diprose AROS CONTRACTING LTD ~Silage Specialists~ call Tony & Janette Carmichael 03 224 6357 or 027 457 2037 Proud to support Andrew Hazlett & Paul Diprose For a friendly, quality service Andrew Hazlett with the Livestock Management Award at the Nationals and the Dairy Manager of the Year award for Otago Southland. P: 027 405 8903 O: 03 225 8807 E: admin@morriscontracting.net.nz A: 119 Scotts Gap Feldwick Road, R D 2, Otautau 9682 ● Full Ground Cultivation Service ● Hay and Baleage Production ● Stacking and Cartage ● Grass Trading ● SI-LAC Silage Inoculant ● Film on Film Option ● Precision Planter & Direct Drill ● 5 Leg Aerator PROVIDING YOU WITH A PERSONAL, TOP QUALITY SERVICE...

6 | nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » Rene Ten Bolscher - Clarence Stolte Persistence pays off for manager Hawke’s Bay Dairy Manager of the Year, Rene Ten Bolscher (right) shares the podium with other regional winners. Randall Johnston It was Rene ten Bolscher’s third time entering the Dairy Manager of the Year Award for Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa, but first time winning, earning his family $6,450 in prizes, three merit awards and industry recognition on March 5. He is thrilled at being recognised by the judges in this way, but equally relived that his hard work is starting to pay off. Rene has now achieved Primary ITO Level 2 Milk Quality and Weeds, Level 3 Agriculture and is a certified AI technician. “I am thankful to Clarence and my wife for encouraging me to enter really.” Rene did quite a bit of dairy farming before landing his current role on Clarence Stolte’s property and also worked as a builder for a time. “The plan when Clarence first called me was for only one season but it’s just evolved from there and I’m really enjoying it. We have a really young staff so there is a leadership aspect for sure and I have learnt so much over the last five seasons myself.” Rene has his own lifestyle property about 4 minutes drive from the farm, so it’s very handy location-wise. “Clarence is Dutch too, we go to the same church and I met him shortly after I first arrived in New Zealand from the east of Holland in 2012. Rene’s brother came to New Zealand in 2010 and worked on the same dairy farm as where Rene started. “I was working as a plumber in Holland at the time but had quit my job when we came out here to visit him. That’s when the dairy farmer here asked me to stay for a year to help out and I did, met my wife Mikaela and have been in New Zealand ever since.” Their three children include Luke, 6, Chloe 3 and latest addition Iris, who is just 7 month old. The 310ha farm he manages is mostly flat, with a 170ha dairy platform, and run on a split-calving system. It is very dry, getting 1000 to 1200mm of rain per annum. Thankfully 90ha is irrigated, but subject to water restrictions. “In March we milk around 370 head, but on-peak when everything is calved, we milk around 500,” Rene explains. While milk prices looked ‘pretty sad’ in August, the market has bounced back and Rene is pretty happy with prices at the moment. The system they use is a low cost one, which maximises profit. “We generally aim for 220,000 kilograms of milk solids per year, but if everything goes well we should exceed that.” One improvement on the farm, where Rene has worked for five seasons now and that is located half way between Carterton and Masterton, is a compost barn - which allows them to get the cows off the paddock and onto silage. The wintering shed, installed by AZTECH, also helps them through the cold, especially when temperatures plummet in June-July. “This will be the second season we have has the wintering shed and it’s helping reduce feed wastage, because we have a feed pad next to the compost barn. “We’ve also seen a big reduction in lameness in our cows. We are still fine tuning things with that, just to make sure we are getting the most out of it.” Rene is rightly proud of how far he has come in eleven years. “I came to New Zealand not knowing any English or anything about farming and now I am managing a dairy farm and own some land where we can enjoy our family life.” He cites the farm owners as a real strength of the business. “They care about helping every farm member, and are skilled at developing staff, which brings about excellent results.” The 31-year-old would encourage others in the industry to participate in the awards and is excited about new technology being developed to make farming more efficient and drive better outcomes. Future farming goals for Rene include farm ownership and learning as much as he can to help achieve better results on farm. Those interested in applying can find out more at https://www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz/ “We have a really young staff so there is a leadership aspect for sure and I have learnt so much over the last five seasons myself.” Proudly supporting Clarence Stolte & Rene Ten Bolscher ORDISH & STEVENS Contact Shane P: 06 379 5504 • M: 027 453 3505 E: grayscontractingltd@yahoo.co.nz - Large reduction in artificial fertiliser requirements - Eliminate effluent separating equipment - Minimise laneway & paddock damage - High flow rate for fast & efficient effluent discharge - Highly cost effective for emptying large ponds - Significantly less nitrogen loss to the atmosphere SOLVE EFFLUENT COMPLIANCE ISSUES ALL AGRICULTURAL SERVICES AVAILABLE

| 7 nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » Emma Williamson: Amorangi Farms Auckland / Hauraki Dairy Trainee of the Year Emma Williamson has battled adversity to take out the award. Chronic illness, autism no barrier for Emma Richard Loader Your provincial business specialists. Proud partner of Amorangi Farms and sponsor of the Auckland Hauraki Dairy Industry Awards. www.ct.co.nz 0508 692 226 Battling ADHD, autism and lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition, has proven to be no barrier to Emma Williamson who won the 2024 Dairy Trainee of the Year at the Auckland / Hauraki Dairy Industry Awards. Emma also won the Dairy NZ Practical Skills Award and Franklin Vets Farming Knowledge Award. Despite her health challenges, Emma says winning the regional dairy industry awards reignited the fire in her belly to achieve her industry goals and to inspire others to follow their dreams, no matter what. “I’m very passionate about telling people that nothing should stop you, not even a chronic illness, autism or ADHD. I do a lot of speaking at schools through Young Farmers and I say to kids, if you have something wrong with you there will be a boss out there. I have been fired from so many jobs because people didn’t understand me, and I finally found the lucky one.” Emma, felt that entering the awards would be a great way to get more experience, take herself out of her comfort zone, and identify where her strengths and weaknesses were. She says going through the awards gave her a lot more confidence in respect to where she sat within the industry. “Being successful has also given me the confidence and the opportunity to apply for new jobs in new locations and to grow my skills. As part of the awards process we had to write a CV and cover letter, as well as do our own planning and career goals. I realised that I had grown as much as I could in my current role, and my bosses understood that. In three weeks I will be moving on to a new farm in Taranaki, in a similar role but new people, new cows, new region. I’m really excited for my new job, because I can see that I will really excel.” Emma’s farming has been a courageous journey that started when growing up on her parents’ small sheep and beef farm, where she preferred helping her mother with lambing, rather than attending school. After leaving school at 16, Emma attended Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre studying drystock farming. After gaining her Agricultural Certificate she went shepherding for two years. “I ended up moving back home because I had been quite sick during that time. I was also over bosses who just weren’t understanding of me being neurodiverse. Last year I was diagnosed with Lupus, which is controlled by medication but I’m always battling something, like tiredness.” An opportunity to work on a dairy farm owned by Young Farmers led to two-and-a-half years as relief worker, and the confidence to start her own relief milking business, and finally a full time job on Amber and Fraser Carpenter farm in Paparimu. “They have been absolutely fantastic, and so understanding about my condition. You just have to find the right bosses, and I have found the right bosses who care about ADHD and Lupus and help me manage it. My new bosses will be the same.”

8 | nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » Hayden and Alienor Diack: Mahia Dairies People the big focus for award high-fliers Karen Phelps Servicing Gore and surrounding areas 027 343 7142 jonod41@gmail.com Services New Builds • Renovations • Sheds • Farm Maintenance We are committed to getting the job done right Hayden and son Ezekiel (top). Alienor, Hayden and Ezekiel inside the wintering shed. The couple have just moved to a 23% lower order sharemilking position on an 240ha effective / 260ha total farm in Edendale Hayden and Alienor Diack, who placed third in the 2024 Southland/Otago Dairy Industry Awards, say they have appreciated the great opportunities they have been presented with in the dairy industry. Now they are focused on paying it forward: “We’re still fresh in our careers in our fifth year in dairy farming. We’ve got to where we are through people putting faith in us so it’s important we now give other opportunities too,” says Hayden. A case in point is a man they met who was thinking of a career change to the dairy industry. The couple took him on as a casual milk harvester and have now offered him a permanent one day a week role as well as assisting him to complete Ag ITO papers with an eye to him taking on a permanent full time position in January 2025. “He was passionate about dairy farming but didn’t know anything. By recruiting him to a one day a week position he can see if dairy farming is what he really wants to do as we know there is a lot of turnover in the first year of dairy farming,” says Alienor. It’s a good example of one of the merit awards the couple won: DairyNZ – People and Culture Award. Recognising that paying staff per hour was not working so well for their two main staff members who are from the Philippines and wanted to be able to regularly send money back home, the Diacks have transitioned to a salary system to give their staff more certainty throughout the year. “People is one of the big passions we have for what we do,” says Hayden. “I like working with people as much as I like working with cows. We put a lot of thought into how we run and lead our team. It’s about valuing our team members and making sure we are looking after them as well as we can.” They run a roster where everyone has a threeday weekend every second weekend and a day off between weekends with a focus on flexibility so people can maintain family and other personal commitments and interests. Providing good housing, team building exercises and celebrating special occasions together rounds out their peoplefocused management style. “We want to not only work together but also get along well together,” says Alienor. They also won the Ecolab Total Farm Hygiene Award. “We run simple systems that are easy for everyone to follow and repeatable so anyone can come in and copy what we do to make sure we are producing really good quality milk. A lot of winning this was down to our team who helped create the systems, used them and monitored them,” says Hayden. The couple were 18% lower-order sharemilking 850 cows in Mokoreta, Southland and have just moved to a 23% lower order sharemilking position on an 240ha effective/260ha total farm in Edendale where they will milk 800 Friesian cross cows through a 54 bail rotary shed with automatic cup removers and Protrack drafting. There is a 650 cow Redpath shed for wintering and Tru-Test Datamars collars. “The farm has some of the best soil in Southland - great for growing grass and production. This will be a simpler farm to manage and it’s closer to Invercargill. The farm is running really well as it is so we are looking to seek out those 1% areas to drive continuous improvement,” says Hayden. “It will be exciting to get more insight into what the cow sare doing with the data from the collar to make decisions.” The couple is also preparing for another big change: a new baby due to arrive in October who will be sibling to two and a half year old Ezekiel. Alienor will be a full time mum as well as continuing to take on the administration side of the business leaving Hayden free to take charge of the day to day running of the farm. “Our aim on every job,” says Hayden, “is to make sure the farms are in a better state and their business in a better position than before we started.”

| 9 nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » Daniel Bernard and Jess Matthews: Rosemount Dairy Jess Matthews gets some family help feeding the calves. Taranaki Share Farmers of the Year, Jess and Daniel with family. Decision to enter awards pays off Sue Russell Jess Matthews and Daniel Barnard are currently lower-order sharemilkers on The Dickies 500ha, 1600 cow farm near Waverley. In the three seasons they have been on the farm Daniel says this is easily the driest, resulting in being a little behind production, however overall he’s pleased with how the farm is operating and looking. On June 1st Jess and Daniel, and their three children, will be making another shift, a further step towards their goal of eventual farm ownership, a 50:50 sharemilking position in Pahiatua. Once there, they will be responsible for their herd of 400 cows. Jess and Daniel employ nine staff on their current farm, and one will be moving with them. “This is a good time for us to move, as Archie, our eldest is six years old and so he will have plenty of time at his new school to settle and make friends,” Daniel says. While progressing along their dairying business journey, the couple bought residential investment properties with their equity in these providing the means to purchase their herd. Jess and Daniel are obviously doing many things right, with taking out the top award in the Taranaki Share Farmer of the Year award earlier in March. Asked what prompted their decision to enter Daniel says it was through friends of their’s who had previously entered and found the experience well worthwhile. “We just wanted to put ourselves in front of really good judges to benchmark our farming business and also to get feedback. It was about looking at our business in a really objective way,” Daniel explains. Creating a document that encapsulated their strengths and weaknesses was a really valuable process, guiding future decisions and supporting the pathway forward. “Just learning about cashflow into equity and equity into cows as strong stepping-stones toward farm ownership was very good for us.” The regional awards were held in Hawera on March 2nd. After initial round judging, a selection of the top five competitors go through a further judging process, then on the night the announcement is made. Along with being named Share Farmers of the Year Taranaki, the couple also received a Merit Award from Dairy NZ for ‘People and Culture’. Prizes were tuned to be really practical in nature, including tyres, a visit to a professional accounting firm, along with another company specialising in Health & Safety. Jess says they are really excited about representing their region in the national event to be held at Coronet Peak, Queenstown. “It will be a fabulous four days of experiences and meeting other regional winners.” The couple really believe that dairying is an amazing industry to be involved with. “There’s no doubt its hard work; not a glamorous job but the rewards really pay off. If you can maintain a good reputation and take learnings on board, then the skies the limit,” Daniel explains. Jess adds, saying that a huge turning point for them was in setting goals, taking their long-term dream of farm ownership to someone who could break the necessary strategic steps down into achievable goals. Seizing the opportunity to be in the ‘Coach Approach Rural’ programme run by McIntyre Dick & Partners in Invercargill was very worthwhile. Other key people who have really helped them are Leigh Eggink, their bank manager and Sarah Hopkins, Accountant. Chris Morris, from Wairarapa Property Consultants has been instrumental in helping the couple work on their future planning, goals and visions for the business. “The great thing about Chris is that he gives you the space to look at ‘big sky ideas’, as part of the exercise toward grounding your strategic plans.” Their new 400 cow herd will be pretty-much straight Friesian. Jess and Daniel found the sharemilking position on Fence Post, with the property extending over 140ha of milking platform with a further 100ha of dry-stock. Jess and Daniel are looking forward to what they can achieve over the coming years taking measured carefully thought through steps along the way. Wairarapa’s leading property and farm business consultants PEOPLE • PROPERTY • BUSINESS p. 06 378 6672 m. 027 495 6127 e. office@wpcltd.co.nz 28 Perry Street Masterton 5840 Chris Morris www.taranaki-vets.co.nz Clinics - Stratford · · Manaia Hawera Patea · · Waverley Proud to be sponsors of Rosemount Dairy Ltd

10 | nzdairy DAIRY AWARDS » Ben Purua: Waimakariri Lands Ltd ‘Giving back’ a big Ben Purau, 2024 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year. Ben and wife Nikki have launched a clothing line called ‘Kamu to Pamu’(‘Calm Your Farm’) as a vehicle to help boost positivity and well-being in the rural sector. Photos by alphalix.nz Kim Newth This year has been one of unprecedented success for Ben Purua, with the 29-year-old named as the 2024 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year at the region’s New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in March. He was back in the spotlight in May, as the winner of the 2024 Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer Award for Dairy. Ben, who is of Tainui descent, is the farm manager at Waimakariri Lands Ltd, near Tirau in the Waikato region, working on Jack and Tiz Scheres’and Chap and Ashleigh Zwiers’ 187ha property, milking 540 cows. Farming has transformed Ben’s life. He grew up in Pukekohe, living around gangs in a dysfunctional and impoverished environment, which eventually led to time in Waikeria Prison. It was while he was in prison that an opportunity came up to work on the prison farms. This is where his passion for farming started, laying the groundwork for all that has followed. Since starting in the dairy industry as a farm assistant in 2016, he has progressed to farm manager – and is now acknowledged as one of the country’s very best. Ben says when he looks back on his life, he never expected to be where he is now, winning awards as a successful dairy farmer. “It has been huge, especially coming from a background like mine – I was expected to fail. This recognition is huge, not just for me and my family but also for my iwi, Tainui, and my hapu, Ngati Amaru. “It has been my dream over the past five or six years to set something up to help other whanau as well. It is a really big part of it for me.” That dream is coming closer for Ben and wife Nikki, with a lot of people now supporting that vision, thanks to the profile Ben has gained from the awards. At the Ahuwhenua awards, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon asked the finalists where they see themselves headed in the next five to 10 years. “I said to him that I see myself running a farm that’s going to be helping Maori families out of struggle and helping them to build their foundation.” Ben is grateful for the support he’s had from the farm owners at Waimakariri Lands Ltd, who he says have encouraged his growth and development and fully backed his involvement in the awards. “It is hard to find a boss like that who will support you and push you at the same time.” As a council member of the Food and Fibre Youth Network, Ben is working to raise awareness on the value of dairy farm careers. “I want young people coming out of school – especially the ones who are more practical, hands on learners – to know about farming as an option. It is such a cool choice and every day is different.” In February, Ben and Nikki launched a clothing line called ‘Kamu to Pamu’(‘Calm Your Farm’) as a vehicle to help boost positivity and well-being in the rural sector. Ben says the response to that has been humbling, with the label growing from strength to strength. Ben also uses his profile ‘FarmUpNz’ to share his life and journey on social media. Ben Purua & Waimakariri Lands congratulations on your success in the Dairy Industry Awards Working with Farmers for Farmers Michael Conwell Your Local Agent M: 027 226 1611 E: michael.conwell@nzfll.co.nz 20 Kensington Street, Putaruru Tel: 07 883 8077

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