| 55 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Aquila Farms ASF leaves legacy as new ownership begins Nicki Woodlock Aquila Sustainable Farming (ASF) is a subsidiary of the German-based investment fund, Aquila Capital, which invested in six dairy farms in Southland, New Zealand, in 2011. These farms were later converted to EU-certified organic operations in 2016. ASF is overseen by General Manager Jessica Craig, Compliance Leader Jason Craig, and Operations Manager Strahan McCallum. ASF is New Zealand’s largest single supplier of A2 organic milk and one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The farms are certified to the EU organic standard and undergo annual audits to maintain certification. Milk from ASF’s farms is sold to Open Country Dairy, where it is processed into milk powders for export. Each farm operates with a core team of three to five staff members: a combination of a farm manager, assistant farm manager, herd manager, and dairy assistant. During peak times like calving, up to 15 casual team members are brought in support the workload. Herd sizes range between 400 and 850 cows, totalling approximately 5,200 cows across all six farms. The farms collectively feature nine milking sheds, including eight rotary sheds and one herringbone shed, as well as a herd home located on one of the farms. Four support blocks are used for winter grazing, young stock grazing, and harvesting supplementary feed. ASF has become a major contributor to New Zealand’s farming economy and has played a key role in expanding the dairy market in the Southland region. “We are the largest single supplier of A2 milk in NZ. Having such a big footprint for organic milk has provided other local farms an opportunity to either convert to organic for the first time, or for existing organic operations to expand”. When asked what sets ASF apart, Craig says; “Organic farming. Our strong people focus. I look at how we can build people up and what training they need. We just really look after and invest in our people. Delivering on farm performance is what we’re really about”. ASF’s achievements have been recognised with numerous awards, including the German-NZ Chamber of Commerce Responsibility for the Future Award (2023), the Environment Southland Leadership and Innovation in Business Award (2023), and the Southland Chamber of Commerce Workplace Wellbeing Award (2021). Highlights for ASF include notable success stories such as a dairy assistant progressing to a contract milking role within eight years, and the milestone achievement of producing a record 2 million kilograms of milk solids in 2024. “Our people take such care and pride in what they’re doing”, says Craig. Aquila Sustainable Farming has recently been sold as a single portfolio to New Zealand-based buyers, with the official handover scheduled for 30 June. The sale had been planned for some time, with the farms exceeding Aquila Capital’s initial Kowhai new shed. five-year investment period. Following the transition, General Manager Jess Craig will take a two-month break before relocating with her husband to Christchurch to pursue an MBA at Canterbury University. Looking ahead to ASF’s future under new Kiwi ownership, Craig says; “I think that the farms are being left in safe hands. I think that the new owners are going to do a great job going forward. I think they will do things differently and sometimes that’s a good thing - to just refresh things up. I hope that we leave a legacy behind of all of the good that we did”. Proud to support Aquila Farms Specialist Suppliers of Agricultural Chemical, Seed, Spray Equipment & GPS Precision Ag Covering Otago & Southland 0800 227 226 www.advance-agriculture.co.nz PH ALEX 021 277 5308 HOME 03 225 5377 www.alexreidcontracting.co.nz Aerating • Direct Drilling • Ridging • Mulching • Strip Till Planting Paddock Cultivation from Ploughing to Sowing Dry Hire available Sheep Conveyor (Drenching, Vaccination etc) • 3 way draft Dairy Lane Maintenance • Tip Trailers • Vibrating Roller • Effluent Services Large Skid Steer for calf shed cleaning, loading Muck Spreaders etc ( 4 Muck Spreaders) • 16,000 litre Slurry Tanker • Pond Stirrer • Umbilical Slurry System 03 206 4628 | 027 206 4051 | threeriverscontracting.co.nz 22 Cardigan Road, Wyndham | 287 Sparbush School Road, Northhope Proud to support Aquila Farms Baling Silage Harvesting Precision Planting Fodder Beet Lifting Cultivation Effluent Spreading Earth Moving Bulk Supplies / Cartage Feed Supplies
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