2006 Winners

2006 Gallagher Innovation Award

Steve and Josie Sterne and Anne and Jens Ravn

Two families who set up a big pig farming operation in North Canterbury believe pig farming is best suited to large farms in remote locations. They set up Patoa Farms Ltd eight years ago on flat terrace country with poor soils near Hawarden. Jens and Steve had known each other from childhood, and both had established small pig farms not too far from Christchurch. “We were both independently looking to get bigger farms”says Jens. “One day we said why don’t we do it together. “We were both looking to move
further away from Christchurch. I think pig farming is much better done on large farms and in remoter areas. You can manage them better.’’

In 1998 the two couples bought 416ha, and last year added another 118ha. They run 3300 sows, and finish the progeny for bacon. In all about 65,000 pigs are slaughtered annually from the farm. Jens says free-range pig farming is best practiced on free draining sites where there is no mud in winter. It is a system that minimised adverse environmental effects and animal health issues.

“Keeping sows outdoors has many advantages including animal welfare. Provided you have correct stocking rates and the land is spelled periodically it is sustainable on light ground.’’ Another important feature of their operation is the use of a straw-based finishing system. This produces usable compost at the end of the operation, and the pigs love living on straw. The used straw is windrowed and then sold as compost.

He says other goals include modifying the finishing system to reduce costs. “We want to be here long term.’’ The operation is a big employer for North Canterbury, employing 50 full time equivalents. “In terms of being sustainable we had to learn quite a bit about managing people and helping them to develop and work as teams”Jens says. “That’s been a very significant part of the operation for the last two years.’’

What the judges said…
• Innovatively approaches the development and management of staff in a large scale rural business.
• Provides a healthy straw based farrowing hut environment for their pigs.
• Combines an auto-sort system with purpose built barns to gain more carcasses in the optimum weight range.

2006 Rabobank Land and Life Award

Mark and Simon Wilson

Strong family involvement and intelligent ways of managing the constraints of their North Canterbury farm are strong features of Mark and Simon Wilson’s livestock operation. On the 830ha farm near Hawarden they run 5500 coopworth-texel breeding ewes, and fatten cattle. In recent years direct drilling has been a major push on the farm. It is seen as a way of increasing productivity without damaging the fragile environment. “We have quite productive hills, but we were so nervous about soil erosion that we didn’t want to touch them”Simon says.

Direct drilling has allowed them to re-sow a much larger area of grass and grow crops to increase performance of the ewes. They found a cross-slot drill was needed on the range of soil types to give consistent and high yielding results. Direct drilling has led to better moisture retention and improved soil structure, as well as time and fuel savings. Family involvement in the farm and in the local community is important in the way the Wilson’s operate. Simon and his wife Sam, and Mark and his wife Helen, and their children are all involved, as are Mark and Simon’s parents Jo and Bill.

“There’s so many people on the farm we can bounce ideas off each other”. “We are involved in the local community in a big way. I guess that stemmed from Jo and Bill” Simon says. The Amuri St John Ambulance has benefited greatly over the years from the Wilson’s involvement, as has the Hawarden A & P Association and local sports organisations.

What the judges said…
• Commitment to the longevity of their community is evident from the families intergenerational support of a wide range of local causes.
• Manages the physical constraints through good shelter, fodder conservation, breed selection and direct drilling.

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© 2007 Environment Canterbury