Learning The Key For West Coast/Top Of South Dairy Industry Award Winners

First-time entrants who say they live and work in paradise have been announced as the major winners in the 2022 West Coast/Top of the South Dairy Industry Awards.

Kevin and Kyla Freeman were announced winners of the region’s Share Farmer of the Year Category at the annual awards dinner held in Shantytown on Thursday night. The other big winners were Robyn Mare, who was named the 2022 West Coast/Top of the South Dairy Manager of the Year, and Lisa Peeters the 2022 West Coast/Top of the South Dairy Trainee of the Year.

The Freemans are 50/50 share milkers on Mark and Julie Freeman’s 140ha Nelson farm milking 390 cows. They won $10,895 in prizes and five merit awards.

“We entered the Awards programme to look at every aspect of our business with others to critique,” they say. “It was a chance to analyse, learn and improve areas of weakness and identify areas of opportunities to grow.”

Kevin grew up on a dairy farm and is a trade qualified builder. He was 2IC for two years prior to sharemilking in 2020. Kyla grew up on a beef and crop farm in Canada.

The couple have three children Mylan (4), Levi (2) and Cole (8 months) and believe raising kids on a farm is second-to-none. “We have the ability to share the enjoyment of the farm with friends, family and others and love the amount of time we get to see the kids during the day.”

Uncertainty around pay-out has proved challenging for the Freemans, especially when they began sharemilking in 2020. “Covid was just starting to shape the world and banks were not lending freely.”

A positive attitude helps during the harder times. “Hard days don’t last forever and there’s always something positive to look at in a day, especially happy cows full of milk!”

Kevin (27) and Kyla (24) say their low cost of production is one of their biggest strengths coupled with a higher production on a grass-based system.

“Our equity growth is something we’re proud of,” they say. “We purchased very cost-effective cows as a start-up herd and they produced 455kg/cow our first season, so we are very happy with their performance.”

The Freemans have a desire to see more young people on the dairy pathway to farm ownership and have their own clear goals and plans for the future.

“We want to work our way to family farm ownership and to continue to enjoy the farming lifestyle and share it with others.”

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian, and Ravensdown along with industry partners DairyNZ and MediaWorks.

The winner of the 2022 West Coast/Top of the South Dairy Manager of the Year category says she is proud to be a New Zealand dairy farmer producing a quality product in the most environmentally sustainable way.

Robyn Mare won $6,500 in prizes and two merit awards and is farm manager for Rob and Michelle Little on their 155ha, 310-cow Greymouth property.

A former property valuer for QV Valuations, Robyn entered the dairy industry full-time in 2017 as a farm assistant.

“I love cows and being outdoors in the elements working hard physically and mentally,” she says. “I enjoy working with machinery but mostly it’s all about the cows who are beautiful, gentle animals.”

A second-time entrant in the Awards, Robyn (43) says the programme encouraged her to think about her future and plan to progress in the industry.

“I’m going contract milking next year and I’d like to eventually be in a position to buy my own herd.”

Robyn identifies confidence as her biggest challenge. “My husband Vince isn’t farming and I have two sons Troy (16) and Regan (14), so taking the steps up in progression has been hard on my own.”

“I’m heading to a contract milking position and the Awards programme, PrimaryITO courses and a great employer where I work now have helped a lot.”

“I love this job,” says Robyn. “A bad day on the farm is still better than a good day in the office.”

Robyn is proud she’s in a position where she is confidently running the day-to-day farming operation and of improving post-calving animals’ health and general wellbeing.

“One of the strengths of this business is that the cows are treated top-notch, they’re relaxed, well-fed and not stressed at all,” she says. “I have lots of pet cows waiting for cuddles!”

Robyn also identifies staff training and support and encouragement from her farm’s owners as a strength. “Rob’s encouraging and approachable which helps hugely for learning.”

Robyn would love to improve public perception of the dairy industry starting with school children. “We need to let them all see what we have achieved so far and continue toward improving sustainability, animal welfare and employment practices.”

“We need to encourage our youth to see dairy farming as an attractive future career.”

Runner-up in the Dairy Manager category was Coenraad Jacobus Groenewald, who immigrated to New Zealand in 2016 from South Africa, when he entered the dairy industry.

“I was born and raised on a dry stock farm and I always loved farm life,” he says. “Being hands-on with the job and seeing people progress in the industry gives me ultimate satisfaction.

“The dairy industry in New Zealand is so diverse and the job opportunities are endless. It’s exhilarating to discover opportunities you never imagined existed.”

Coenraad (40) is currently farm manager on the Pāmu Farms of New Zealand 449ha, 900-cow Moana farm. He won $3000 in prizes and one merit award.

The first-time entrant is excited about the research and technology taking the dairy industry to new heights. “It’s exciting to see young people show interest, joining the industry and making progress.”

“It’s really satisfying to do the mahi daily, see people excel, animals performing and putting New Zealand on the world map.”

“I’d love to change the perception of dairy farming. We work ourselves to the bone to ensure we keep to regulations and keep freshwater clean from farming elements.”

Coenraad enjoys exploring New Zealand with his partner Jonathan on days off. “Work/life balance is really important so it’s important to put boundaries in place and have a balance.”

“I’m very excited and motivated at this time of my life,” he says. “I’ve just turned 40 and realise life is great and age is just a number!”

Future farming goals include breaking production records on his current farm and being a respected manager with a good reputation, great health and safety standards and 100% staff retention.

“I’m living the dream and have found a love for the West Coast as it is the most beautiful part of the country,” says Coenraad. “The rain doesn’t scare me and working for Pāmu Farms makes me really proud.”

“I enjoy meeting really passionate people in the industry and being part of the dairy community.”

Gareth Evans placed third and won $2000 in prizes. He is farm manager for Kelvin and Heather McKay on their 81ha, 173-cow Greymouth property.

Gareth grew up on the West Coast in a dairy farming family and has been in the industry for 18 years. “I’m currently rebuilding my business and see the Awards programme as a way to build my confidence up again.”

Gareth’s children and family give him motivation to keep going during harder times. “I have two older boys Kaeleb (17) and Ryan (14) and a newborn baby Roam.”

“Anytime spent with them is precious to me.”

Top-quality, well-bred cows of smaller stature that produce the goods are identified by Gareth as strengths of the business. “This means maximising profit while feeding cows well and keeping costs down with quality grass.”

“Hard work and attention-to-detail, especially with milk production and pasture management and regressing also add to the overall success of the business.”

Lisa Peeters has been named winner in the 2022 West Coast/Top of the South Dairy Trainee of the Year category.

The 28-year-old is herd manager for Mawhera Incorporation’s 240ha, 400-cow property in Hokitika. She won $6,300 in prizes and two merit awards.

The first-time entrant says she entered the Awards programme to meet new people and test her farm knowledge as well as learn something new.

Lisa grew up on a family dairy farm in Canada where all cows are housed indoors, calve all-year round and milk twice-a-day all year. “I was mainly helping with calf rearing and calf husbandry.”

The farm was sold when Lisa was 16 and she began a position on a sheep farm before moving to a beef bull stud.

“I was very disappointed when our family farm was sold as dairy is a tough industry to get into in Canada without family connections, so I trained as a vet nurse with a focus on large animals but mainly sport and performance horses.”

The 28-year-old came to New Zealand after experiencing burnout in vet nursing, to experience life as a work exchange student and found a position on her current dairy farm. “I fell back in love with dairy!”

“The New Zealand dairy industry is such a cool industry with so many opportunities for growth if you work hard and are keen,” Lisa says.

“I hope to keep learning and progress to farm manager and maybe one day contract milker. I love animal health, animal genetics and animal longevity.”

Lisa would like to see an increased focus on breeding towards sustainable dairy within the industry and says she is proud that her boss is confident to leave her in charge of the farm. “The farm is at high-risk of flooding during heavy rainfall so we’re always checking weather forecasts and making grazing decisions around weather.”

“One of the biggest challenges has been to believe in myself as much as everyone else believes in me,” says Lisa.

“I’ve always been motivated to work to the best of my abilities and treat the business as if it were my own and help the farm succeed, the cows are healthy and doing their best.”

I have a big focus on animal husbandry and keeping a focus on the animals.”

Lisa says she can definitely see herself remaining in the dairy industry, to keep learning and keep all of her options open.

“I will never say no to a learning opportunity.”

Runner-up in the Dairy Trainee category was 20-year-old assistant manager and 2IC Trinity Jackson, who won $2000 in prizes.

Trinity works for Pāmu Farms of New Zealand on the 443ha, 800-cow farm at Greymouth.

“I thought ‘why not put myself out of my comfort zone and enter the Awards?’,” says Trinity. “I felt more confident to enter this year as it was a practical-based skills day. I also entered to make new connections and learn something new.”

“It was awesome to get the feedback from judges.”

Trinity had been accepted into the Bachelor of Nursing programme in 2020 however her plans changed when she was offered part-time relief milking and calf-rearing positions.

“I fell in love with not only the job but the lifestyle and I’ve never looked back!”

“It’s an industry with so much opportunity to progress and even more to learn. Like they say, do what you love, love what you do and you’ll never work another day in your life!”

Future farming goals include progressing to a management position and then to contract milking. “As far as personal farming goals go, I’m working towards buying my own block of land to graze beef and dry stock.”

Third place in the Dairy Trainee category went to 26-year-old herd manager Connor Shirley who won $1,500 in prizes and one merit award.

Connor works on the Brent Riley Home Farm, on the 65ha, 200-cow farm in Collingwood.

“I’m excited to see the growth of the industry because the skillset of people will just get better and better,” he says.

“That will grow our industry and create a higher level of skills and education.

The West Coast/Top of the South Dairy Industry Awards winners field day will be held on 13 April 2022 at 10.00am at 291 Rainy River Road RD2, Nelson S/N Fonterra 30970 where Share Farmers of the Year, Kevin and Kyla Freeman sharemilk. Also presenting at the field day will be the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year, Robyn Mare and Dairy Trainee of the Year, Lisa Peeters. Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

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