2009 Winners

2009 LIC Dairy Farm Award

John and Robyn Faulkner

The Terrace

A low stocking rate and respect for all aspects of the farming system are key aspects of John and Robyn Faulkner’s dairy farming operation in North Canterbury.

"Our whole farming system’s run on respect," he says, "and it’s respect for everything - for the cows, the farm, the people, and the environment.

"It’s all a really tightly interwoven thing because you can’t have respect for one thing without respect for the others. That’s our whole philosophy." John and his wife Robyn have been on the 162ha Culverden farm since 2001. He has spent most of his life in dairy farming, like his father and grandfather, on the family farm at Kereone near Morrinsville.

Now John’s 30-year-old son Tamlin has come from Auckland to try his hand at dairy farming. "We’re looking at succession scenarios, and that’s why my son is here to see if he wishes to take up dairy farming. If it doesn’t work we’ll look at other options." John and Robyn have reached a stage of life where they are gradually easing themselves out of full involvement in the farm, to pursue other interests.

While Robyn is very involved with massage, dog grooming and crafts, John has become very interested in adventure cycling events. In 2007 at age 51 he competed in and won the 7200km Paris to Dakar cycle race. "I did ok in that", he says with a high degree of understatement. "I like adventure cycling- type events and want to continue with them."

He is also a member of victim support for North Canterbury and involved in Enterprise North Canterbury. He has been doing a masters degree in agribusiness and plans to finish that off. The irrigated farm, which is divided into 26 paddocks, winters 500 cows and milks between 460 and 475. Production is around 220,000kg of milksolids a year working out at about 480kg per cow and 1500kg per hectare.

Irrigation from the Amuri Irrigation Scheme is by rotorainers on a 13-day rotation. It has not been possible to install centre pivot irrigators on the property because of power pylons. John has a passion for management and performance of the herd which has been in the family for 60 years. His aims include reducing stock numbers and making feed supplements on-farm to help reduce costs and improve farm profits. When they bought the current farm eight years ago, it had been sharemilked for the previous 22 years. Improvements since then have included getting rid of a serious thistle problem, regrassing the majority of the pastures, increasing production, and creating an attractive staff housing environment as well as building an outstanding homestead which is tastefully integrated into the farm environment.

Well maintained shelter plantings create a pleasant environment for working in and for livestock. "We don’t have a high stocking rate. I really like my cows, and like seeing everything well done and be well maintained. It’s a balance so that you’re not putting too much pressure on anything, but you do have to meet your financial goals as well". John Gueveres from Uruguay is in his second year as farm manger.

"He’s a top notch person, one of those people that’s held in high regard with very good ethics and morality." Two other farm workers are also from Uruguay plus Johns son Tamlin.

John says the systems they run are staff friendly. "That in turns flows through to the environmental management and how we run the effluent system. If there is a good working environment then I expect things to be done to a high standard." The judges commented that John and Robyn have improved the pastures and production at The Terrace, turning it into a sustainable farming enterprise through their passion for the dairy stock, their management and their attention to pasture management.

Their strong philosophy and expectation of respect, high standards for the farm and staff, and their social and community involvement was to be commended, the judges said.

Judges' Points:

• Attention to animal health and feeding management has resulted in above average per cow and per ha production.
• A high level of soil monitoring and nutrient budgeting resulted in very good pasture production.
• A great awareness for staff conditions including working hours and accommodation.

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© 2009 Environment Canterbury