increase font size
Terravest founder and chief executive Kip Bodle (right) with son Seb.
A New Zealand agritech and dairy services group has big plans as it expands its dairy services footprint across dairy hygiene, data, and milk cooling with the purchase of nationwide refrigeration business Dairy Technology Services (DTS).
Terravest - described by its owner as an investment company focused on farm milk quality - was established this year and is the parent company for well-established dairy hygiene company Deosan, digital telemetry and automation specialist Agora, and now DTS Refrigeration – a company with a long history and originally part of NDA National Dairy Association.
The move sees expertise and technology across dairy hygiene, data, and milk cooling consolidated – with the goal of offering a more integrated approach to milk quality on farm and being the leader in that space.
Terravest’s founder and CEO Kip Bodle says he wants the company to “be number one from teat to tank”.
While unified under one brand, the intent is that each business will retain its identity and leadership.
Bodle will continue in his position as general manager of Deosan. Meanwhile, Agora will be run by its current general manager, Hayden Walsh, and DTS will continue to be led by Luke Walker.
“I just think it makes sense to keep the DNA of each of those businesses as they are,” Bodle says.
The DTS Refrigeration acquisition means Terravest will have a combined customer base of approximately 6000 dairy farmers, equating to close to $11 billion in milksolids value.
“Part of our vision is that we will have some form of relationship with those 6000 customers,” Bodle says. “And obviously our primary objective is to play more of a role in caretaking the full value of that $11 billion.”
A pivotal part of Terravest’s plan is telemetry. Agora is a wireless on-farm telemetry business that will be a conduit between the two on-farm businesses through data and being able to focus on proactive maintenance to reduce bacteria risk in milk.
Bodle says Agora has come from nowhere to now have key vat telemetry contracts with Ofi and Westland.
“These contracts provide us with a critical platform for further growth over the next five years. Agora is the first vat telemetry provider to use wireless IoT technology for capturing on farm data.”
Bodle says that within the agricultural sector, farmers are seeking connection with their industry partners.
“Dairy farmers are looking for connectivity – because they’re passionate about what they do and they care about relationships connected to their farm operation. That’s the trick – you’ve got to have the product and service arrangement that they see value in, but you also have to have the right people that are able to connect with them.”
Bodle sees opportunities in “providing more value to farmers in the milk quality space while meeting the growing trend of farmers needing to provide more information to enhance the NZ provenance story”.
He says one of his proudest achievements is now having his son Seb, who was just three when Bodle took over Deosan, join the new business.
“It’s nice to feel a responsibility to continue to support NZ dairy farmers and to have Deosan, and now Terravest, being a second-generation business. Being a NZ-owned family business is very important to us.”
DTS, New Zealand's leading manufacturer of stainless steel vats and refrigeration technologies, is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to phase out R404A refrigerant gas, a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
Horowhenua farmer Cam Lewis is in the business of growing superb quality produce – milk, asparagus, and strawberries.
Milk vat manufacturer DTS is selling its dairy automation business to MilktechNZ.
Farm technology solutions provider DTS has released the latest version of its driving and herd management app, Herd-Man.
New Zealand manufacturer of advanced refrigeration technologies, DTS, says it is taking the heat out of running cool.
A New Zealand agritech and dairy services group has big plans as it expands its dairy services footprint across dairy hygiene, data, and milk cooling with the purchase of nationwide refrigeration business Dairy Technology Services (DTS).
The 2026 Holstein Friesian sales season has already delivered outstanding results across New Zealand and Australia - including a new Australasian record.
OPINION: At a time when farmers are advocating for less government spending and no new taxes, the dairy sector is rightly concerned by ACT's new immigration policy.
Feilding Agricultural High School isn't alone in offering agricultural or horticultural subjects as part of its curriculum, but the location of one of its farms on the northern edge of the urban fringe makes for some interesting considerations.
Analysis of decades of research has revealed the good farming pracrtice plays a critical role in reducing nutrient losses to improve freshwater outcomes.
Could New Zealand use its unproductive land to help solve possible fuel insecurity in New Zealand? Scientists say yes.
OPINION: Reckless action by Greenpeace in 2024 forced Fonterra to shut down a drying plant for four hours, costing the co-op…
OPINION: The global crusade against fossil fuel is gaining momentum in some regions.
