Friday, March 29, 2024

Keeping it organised

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Richard Ash is demonstrating how to grow a business while progressing within that business and is now the 2015 Manawatu Sharemilker-Equity Farmer of the Year.
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He started in 2004 as a manager for Tutu Totara milking 550 cows, and now runs a sharemilking equity partnership milking 1400 cows on the same farm for David and Sarah Marshall. On his first time entering the competition he also scooped the DairyNZ Human Resources Award, the LIC Recording and Productivity Award, the Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award and the Westpac Business Performance Award.

Under Richard’s watch, the farm has transformed from a sheep, beef, cropping and dairy operation to an expanded farm that milks 1000 spring calvers and 400 cows on winter supply, through two separate dairies. He is on track to achieve 650,000kg milksolids (MS) this season. Richard owns 30% of the 50:50 sharemilking partnership, which also owns 75 hectares of land that is incorporated into the operation.

Richard has a Bachelor of Applied Science from Massey University, and organisation is a key component of his success.

On the same operation there is a calmly operated, pristine dairy, a spring calving herd coming thick and fast into another dairy and a meticulously laid-out farm office.

“Having control over our supplement is quite important to keeping costs down. We use Figured for our accounting software, stock reconciliations etcetera so we’re not pulling data from a heap of different places.”

With the last few years spent consolidating debt, Richard is now assessing the future.

“One option is to increase shareholding. It would be quite hard to leave this place, but I want to reach farm ownership.”

With his partner Anna Trevathen, Richard is demonstrating how good relationships with people and working co-operatively towards common goals are a pathway to achieving long-term success.

Second place went to Sanson 25% equity manager Aaron Taylor and third place to Ashhurst 21% sharemilkers Ben and Lizzie Ash.

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