Friday, March 29, 2024

Career change reaps awards for BOP dairy farmers

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Making the move to dairy farming has been hugely successful for the three major winners at the 2014 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards.
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They all switched careers to dairy farming and were announced winners at the region’s awards dinner at Awakeri Events Centre on March 19.

The 2014 Bay of Plenty Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Brett and Natasha Grindrod, were both teachers.

Brett Grindrod said he took the opportunity to work on a dairy farm for a season and never looked back.

“After a short time on the farm I found I really enjoyed the career change, and did not want to return to teaching,” he said.

“I enjoyed the flexibility that farming offered and could see the long-term potential for growth

“It was a huge change going from dealing with 30 young children all day to dealing with 450 cows but it was a change I enjoyed.” 

Brett and Natasha Grindrod are 25% sharemilking 445 cows for Barry and Yvonne Richardson at Whakatane.

The couple, both 33, won $19,880 in prizes.

They attend field days and study through Primary ITO to increase their knowledge and skill level.

“I also work extremely hard to make sure that I am doing the absolute best I can to optimise this farm’s performance,” he said.

The couple, who were runners-up in last year’s contest, aimed to continue to grow their equity through sharemilking to achieve their ultimate aim of farm ownership.

The Farm Managers of the Year, Thomas Blackett and Stacey Lepper, also changed careers and have entered the awards previously.

Blackett, 28, was a design engineer for Fisher & Paykel and Lepper, 27, was a lab technician for AgResearch.

They contract milk 409 cows for Malcolm Clark at Whakatane, and won $9000 in prizes.

The couple said their strengths lie in people and pasture management.

“We feel that our employees are the biggest asset of our business and so treat them as valued contributors,” they said.

“We also communicate clearly and effectively with the farm’s shareholders to ensure that we are all on the same page with how the farm is going and the future aims and goals of the farm.”

Their main farming goal was to grow their equity through sharemilking.

Blackett placed third last year in the Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year contest.

Te Puke contract milkers Luther and Jessica Siemelink placed second place in the farm manager contest, winning $4710 in prizes, and third was Tauranga contract milker Tony Baker, who won $3640 in prizes.

Dairy Trainee of the Year, Cameron Luxton, had been a builder before he was an assistant on Andrew and Dianne Muller’s 380-cow Galatea farm.

The 24-year-old won $4200 in prizes.

“Through the support of my employers I have moved my career forward and am excited about going further,” he said.

“I want to be the best farmer that I can be for my family, community, environment and industry.”

Second prize in the trainee contest went to Whakatane assistant Jodie Mexted, who won $900.

Third was Andrew Cameron who won $500 in prizes.

The Grindrods will host a field day on April 3 and Blackett and Lepper will host a field day on April 10.

 

Further details on the winners and field days can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

Sharemilker/Equity Farmer Merit Awards:
BlackmanSpargo Legal Audit Award – Brett and Natasha Grindrod
DairyNZ Human Resources Award – Brett and Natasha Grindrod
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Grant and Karley Thomson
Federated Farmers of New Zealand Leadership Award – Jeff and Ryn Going
Honda Farm Safety and Health Award – Brett and Natasha Grindrod
LIC Recording and Productivity Award – Brett and Natasha Grindrod
Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Katherine and Sefton Hemingway
Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Jeff and Ryn Going
Triplejump Risk Management Award – Jeff and Ryn Going
Westpac Business Performance Award – Brett and Natasha Grindrod

Farm Manager Merit Awards:
The Wrangler Best Livestock Award – Jessica and Luther Siemelink
Fonterra Best Practice Award – Tony Baker
Primary ITO Human Resource Management Award – Thomas Blackett and Stacey Lepper
RD1 Farm Management Award – Tony Baker
Westpac Financial Planning and Management Award – Jessica and Luther Siemelink

Dairy Trainee Merit Awards:
DPS Farming Knowledge Award – Josh Hedley
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Leadership Award – Josh Cozens
DairyNZ Practical Skills Award – Josh Cozens

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