Young go-aheads typify contest winners
THE GOALS of the 2013 Southland Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Don and Jess Moore, are to optimise production and maximise profit to reach farm ownership and enjoy a balanced lifestyle.
The 28-year old has Australian and Chilean dairy work experience. He’s currently 23% sharemilking 870 cows for Mark and Dianne, and Richard and Karyn Townshend, Ngatea.
Earlier this year he won the 2013 Auckland Hauraki Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year title. In February he contested the regional Young Farmers Competition final, winning the AGMARDT agri-business challenge.
Courtman says he entered the dairy awards for the first time “to challenge myself, to develop better goals, and to try and win”. The son of a dairy farmer, Courtman says he has taken interest in the industry from ‘day one’. “It’s been a pretty good journey so far, I’ve learned a lot,” he told 100 farmers at a field day on the farm.
Courtman’s philosophy is to maximise production and keep costs down. “The strengths of the business are its focus on operating costs and executing the production plan, which happens because of good skills and strong accountability.”
Having good staff is also a key factor. Courtman employs three staff. “When my staff fail, I’ve failed,” he says. “Human resource is a major aspect of this business. I insist on building and developing staff as well as having clear communications with farm owners.”
Courtman holds weekly meetings with staff and files weekly updates with Richard Townshend.
A Bachelor of Commerce from Lincoln University, Courtman aims to own up to 30% of a 200,000kgMS business within two years and 100% of the business by age 35.
Developing leadership and exploring other interests outside the farm are also on his mind. Courtman, who also won the Federated Farmers leadership award, is chairman of the local young farmers club. He’s also in the Kaihere cricket club and is keen to taking a coaching role.
Courtman thanked the Townshends for giving him the opportunity to develop his dairy management skills.
Mark Townshend says profitable farming is almost impossible without good staff. “Sometimes people say corporate farmers only care about profits and not people. I don’t agree. Profitable farming is difficult, maybe impossible, without good recruitment, good development and providing good performers with opportunities.”
Mark recalls an old saying his father Gray told him 30 years ago: bad bosses have a knack of finding bad employees. Presumably the converse also applies, he says.
Townshend says he sees nothing wrong with working young people hard provided they are rewarded with remuneration and opportunities. This is where corporate farming can be great, with opportunities for justified internal promotion, he says.
