Awards to boost farm ownership goals
Two new Awards have been developed for the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) programme that will help some farmers on their journey to farm ownership.
Kumar and Kamboj, who created history four years ago by taking out the NZ Dairy Awards' Share Farmer of the Year title, became proud owners of their first farm three months ago.
The farm ownership - a milestone for the brothers from Uttarakhand state in Northern India - caps off 14 years of hard work, dedication and learning.
They take ownership of the 346ha farm in Leeston, Mid-Canterbury from June 1, bought in a 50% partnership with Richard and Chrisse Wright. Kumar and Kamboj are currently sharemilkers of the Wrights' 530ha, 2100-cow farm.
Kamboj told Dairy News that they are excited to finally call a farm their own.
"It's 347ha milking 1200 cows with seven staff. Between the two farms we will be running a team of 20 staff and milking 3300 cows," he says.
"It feels like a dream come true."
Kamboj says the journey has been challenging but a rewarding one.
"It took us 14 years to buy the farm, and it has been an incredible experience, both rewarding and challenging, but we have enjoyed every moment of it."
The brothers began their journey in the NZ dairy industry with a contract milking job in Pahiatua, spending four seasons on a 320-cow farm. This was followed by 50-50 sharemilking stints and contract milking with two other farmers.
Kamboj says winning the Share Farmer of the Year title opened new opportunities including the sharemilking business with the Wrights.
"The award helped us make connections with great people within the industry and put our names out," he says. "Winning the award was an incredible experience, and it was a great benchmarking tool for ourselves."
He says the NZ dairy industry has a lot to offer for hard working young people - be it locals or migrants.
His advice to young people eyeing a career in dairying is to give it a go.
"We know it will be challenging in the early days, but it has a lot to offer back. Great opportunities are available if you are ready to work hard and it will be rewarded.
"Network with other workers and attend farm field days to make more connections with the farmers.
"Enter dairy industry awards to challenge and benchmark yourself against others."
Kamboj says their success is also due to the support they have received along the way from farmers.
He thanked Richard and Chrisse Wrigth for giving them the opportunity to work as business partners, Kamboj also mentioned former employers, Geoff and Ester Arends and Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott, for having put their faith in them during the early part of their dairy careers.
Kamboj says they also owe a lot to their staff.
"We are very proud of our team as we won't be able to achieve this goal without their hard work," he says.
Role Models
As migrants, Manoj Kumar and Sumit Kamboj say the early days in the dairy industry were hard.
Leaving their family and friends behind in Uttarakhand was "very emotional".
Kamboj recalls that they didn't have too many connections and mentors in those early days.
The brothers haven’t forgotten their roots in Uttarakhand, where they have become role models for dairy farmers.
They have also hosted delegations from India including a delegation from leading Indian dairy player Amul in April 2023 and officials from the Uttarakhand government in December 2023 and India’s National Dairy Development Board last year.
“We have learnt a lot from the NZ dairy industry, and we would like to share our experience with farmers back home in India,” says Kamboj.
In February this year, the brothers were part of a delegation from the NZ Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and Massey University to their family farm in Uttarakhand.
“We are just trying to support small holder dairy farmers with our knowledge and experience and currently we are working on hosting a small-holders dairy farmer delegation from India to New Zealand to give them an exposure of our great dairy farming industry.”
Inspiring Story
New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Robin Congdon is praising Manoj Kumar and Sumit Kamboj for their hard work and progression through the industry.
Congdon told Dairy News that the purpose of the awards is to support entrants in learning, connecting with industry leaders, and growing their careers and businesses.
"Full credit goes to Sumit and Manoj for their hard work and dedication in prograssing through the industry, but we're proud to have played a part in their journey.
"Their success is a testament to what can be achieved through commitment, education, and the right support network."
Congdon says migrant workers play a crucial role in the success and sustainability of the dairy industry.
"The NZDIA programme provides them with knowledge, encouragement, and recognition, helping them establish themselves, build confidence, and take the next steps in their careers.
"It's incredibly rewarding to see so many talented individuals progress through the industry with the support of the awards."
While the awards enjoy good levels of participation from migrant dairy workers, there is always room for more.
Congdon points out that the awards are designed to be inclusive and provide a platform for all dairy farmers to showcase their skills, gain valuable feedback, and connect with people in the industry can help them advance.
He would like to see more migrant dairy farmers throwing their hats in the ring for the awards.
Increased participation enhances the vibrancy of the programme and helps attract sponsors and partners, ensuring they can continue supporting dairy farmers at all levels.
"We hope that stories like Sumit and Manoj's will inspire more migrant dairy farmers to enter and take advantage of the opportunities the awards provide."
