| 63 nzdairy TASMAN FMG YOUNG FARMER OF THE YEAR » George Letham Runner-up motivated to go one better Richard Loader Achieving 2nd Place in the Young Farmers Tasman Regional Finals has given George Letham the motivation to push harder for next year’s event. “There’s some really strong contenders in Tasman, and previously I wrote myself off against them, but now I’m warming to the idea of winning the event, and I’ve identified some points to work on. I’m surprised and stoked by how well I did this year.” George had heard about the Young Farmers’ competition while at Lincoln University, and it popped up on his radar again when Izzy Coates, the Te Waihora Banks Peninsula Young Farmers Club Chair, and National Chair Chloe Jones suggested he give the event a crack. “I was the top graduate for my year at Lincoln, but always wanted to prove I had the practical skills to back it up. Having the two girls tap me on the shoulder was the wee push I needed. Winning the Agri-skills section on the day really was a confidence boost. I still have a lot to learn but now I know I can perform on the tools too.” George says another benefit of the competition was testing himself against some strong contestants. “Iron sharpens iron, and man did the guys and girls in the final make me work hard. It not only lifted my own farming standards, but also made me think that the future of farming in the South Island is pretty bright. I really enjoyed how every moment of the competition was different, each challenge really made me stop and think about how I was going to solve each problem. “I turned up as a ball of nerves, but all the laughs and friendly faces were a real highlight. People taking the competition seriously but enjoying the George Letham in action at the Tasman regional finals and with fellow Zoë Hoskins, both members of Te Waihora Banks Peninsula Young Farmers. moment at the same time was pretty special. That culture is pretty infectious – so many good, keen people all in one place, it’s hard not to get excited about next year.” George grew up on his family’s dairy farm in Methven. The fifth generation on the farm, he says growing on that ancestral land and his upbringing helped hone his passion for kiwi farming. “I’ve seen first-hand the endless effort farmers put in all year round, often for little or no profit.” Attending Lincoln University as a Future Leader and DairyNZ scholar, George completed his Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree with 1st Class honours, modelling dairy cow heat and GHG emissions in wintering and winning the 2020 Leading Graduate award. Following Lincoln, George worked in R&D as an Agronomist, and then went back to run the family farm for two years while his father recovered from an operation. “Once Dad was better again, I looked for my next challenge and turned to Fonterra’s Technical Graduate Programme. I’m moving around all parts of the business from manufacturing, R&D and the business side, as well as doing a Masters with Fonterra and Massey. From this I’m wanting to get a thorough understanding of the business as a whole, to be a better bridge between farmers and Fonterra in the future.” “It not only lifted my own farming standards, but also made me think that the future of farming in the South Island is pretty bright.” R J PRESTON LTD Farm Accountants JAMES GORDON IAN COOKE E-mail: James@rjpreston.co.nz GRANT DAVID McCULLOCH E-mail: Grant@rjpreston.co.nz TELEPHONE: 03 358 5686 www.rjpreston.co.nz 32B SHEFFIELD CRESCENT PO BOX 39065, CHRISTCHURCH 8545 03 303 5100 | 68 Elizabeth Ave, Rakaia | office@rscltd.co.nz YOUR INDEPENDENT JEEP EXPERTS Congratulations to George and Letham Farms Rakaia Service Centre is your one-stop-auto-shop where we cater to all your automotive needs under one roof. While we specialise in Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge; whatever your car’s brand, make, or model, our dedicated team are ready to assist you.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=