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Working your way to farm ownership is never an easy task, but they were never going to sit idly and wait for things to happen.

They leased a nearby 80ha farm and milked 140 cows for three years while Cram worked at Kiwi Dairies. They then leased the 77ha farm next to her parents for three years, milking 190 cows.

“We did all sorts to get a farm. One year we raised 170 calves and during that period leased out heifers and bought and sold stock.

“In the second year of leasing this farm we took a 50:50 sharemilking job at Toko milking 150 cows and employed a great couple to run that farm. They’d been sharemilking and wanted some time out. We were lucky

Continued page 22 to have them.”

Between selling calves, cows and heifers, running their own farm and the Toko farm, it was a hectic period.

After starting their family, she began working two days a week at a local accountant.

They bought the Awatuna farm they were leasing in 2002, and also ran a mini digger business for three years. Philip operated that business while working the farm too, and she returned to the farm to work. The farm owners were very supportive of them purchasing the farm and Donna and Philip try to pay that forward wherever they can.

Seven years ago they sold the digger and bought the rear portion of Donna’s parent’s farm next door, to bring the size of their farm up to 117ha (107ha effective). They have recently leased 42ha to run their calves, heifers and dry cows and are planning to milk 290 cows.

“We worked the farm together, and during that period I also worked for DairyNZ’s dairy-based team undertaking financial analysis and physical data collection. That flowed onto report interpretation for the farmers who were doing their mark and measure course.

“I met great people and helped them with their 10-year forecasting models and baseline reports before they went to mark and measure. I really enjoyed that experience.”

In 2021 she completed Agri

Woman’s Development Trust leadership and governance programme. She’s also a member of DairyNZ’s Farmer Group Dairy Environment Leaders and one of 14 farmer Climate Change Ambassadors, working towards supporting communities and embracing change within the dairy sector.

In 2016 their farm won the Taranaki Regional Council Award for environmental leadership in dairying and in 2021 it was a finalist in the Fonterra Responsible Dairy Awards.

She is intensely aware that the environment must be protected and improved to preserve the future of New Zealand’s dairying industry.

“We’d only just purchased the farm when the Taranaki Regional Council [TRC] land management officer encouraged us to buy plants. It wasn’t in the budget, but we began planting, and once you begin you just keep going.”

They fenced 9.6km of stream banks and installed four culverts to prevent their cows from damaging their waterway crossings. It’s a big commitment, but they know it’s a worthwhile one.

Three years ago they mentioned to the TRC land management officer that they’d like to continue their environmental work. The officer talked to NIWA, which at the time was collaborating with DairyNZ to build six constructed wetlands and research their benefits.

A 4500m2 wetland, which amounts to around 2% of its catchment area, was constructed on the farm.

“It just so happened that our timing was right. They calculated out the catchment area and the best place to site the wetland. NIWA and the TRC measure many different parameters including the nitrate levels going into and exiting the wetland, and the turbidity. The TRC also check for E coli.”

When the TRC was beginning its local predatorfree initiative it told her that they could facilitate the process if she could get 90% of the local farmers involved. Thirty of the 32 farmers joined in.

That group became the Awatuna/Auroa Farming for the Future group, and is one of the Taranaki Catchment Communities.

Taranaki Catchment Communities came about after Cram attended the Dairy Environment Leaders Forum and discovered what environmental projects other communities were undertaking.

“Through Dairy Environment Leaders, I was introduced to the AgriWomen’s Development Trust Escalator (Impact leadership accelerator) programme, which helped me start Taranaki Catchment Communities.

“Taranaki Catchment Communities is a response to new incoming regulations relating to freshwater and greenhouse gases. It also looks after the people, profit and planet. Many consider these regulations a threat; however I believe that we can farm in harmony with the environment.”

She enjoys having the ability to lead change, and create a vision to achieve that change. In her governance roles, she says, she is privileged to work alongside incredibly motivated, positive people.

“The people I work with are at the forefront of change and confident in their own farming businesses. It’s a different way of looking at things, we’re always on the lookout for what’s new and different.

“My governance roles have given me confidence. Recently, I was told that five years ago I wouldn’t have said boo to a goose. Now I find myself being able to tell my story to influential people within the industry.”

Through the Escalator programme she discovered many like-minded people, which was a great enabler for her.

“There are 14 people in my Escalator cohort and when I messaged them that I was considering running for the TRC, they all replied that I should go for it.

“If they hadn’t encouraged me I may not have put myself up. It’s hugely important having that encouragement. Those people, and those in Federated Farmers and Taranaki Catchment

Communities, are like-minded, optimistic people.”

“I’ve got an amazing support person called my husband Phillip, and our children Aleisha and James. Philip backs me all the time and I wouldn’t have done what I have if I didn’t have him encouraging me.” n