No regrets choosing cows over boardroom
Winning the 2025 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year still hasn't sunk in for Thomas and Fiona Langford.
The 2020 Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners Nick and Rose Bertram are no strangers to success.
In 2014, Nick won the 2014 New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year and was runner-up in the Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Share Farmer category last year.
He says entering the awards programme has opened many doors and job opportunities.
“Coming from a non-farming background, the awards have been a great opportunity to prove ourselves. We wouldn’t have the job we have now if it wasn’t for the exposure we have had through the NZDIA programme.”
Nick, 33, and Rose, 27, say they enjoy not just being farmers, but also managing their own business.
“We enjoy being in a position to be able to train and grow our staff for the industry,” they say.
“Good people drive profit.”
The Bertrams are 50/50 sharemilkers on Barry and Carol McNeil’s 150ha, 440-cow Woodville property. They won $7,632 in prizes and five merit awards.
The couple are passionate about breeding cows and enjoy managing the different challenges farming presents.
Nick is an enthusiastic advocate for the dairy industry and is Tararua Federated Farmers Sharemilker Representative and is also on the Federated Farmers national executive for Sharemilkers.
Future farming goals for the Bertrams include developing a calf-rearing block on land they have purchased and building their own home in a couple of years.
“We plan to be in a position to buy a farm of 400+ cows within the next seven years.”
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
OPINION: The war of words between Southland farmers and Environment Southland over winter grazing inspections reflects a deep lack of trust…
OPINION: Milking It understands a formal disciplinary process is being conducted by Victoria University of Wellington on what one of…