OTAGO/SOUTHLAND | SHARE FARMER OF THE YEAR
Left: Cup of champions: Ann and Scott Henderson with the 2021 Southland Otago Share Farmer of the Year trophy.
Complimentary skills – a winning formula WORDS AND PHOTO BY KAREN TREBILCOCK
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people-first philosophy and excellent onfarm systems helped Scott and Ann Henderson win the 2021 Southland Otago Share Farmer of the Year competition. The couple has been at the Adams Flat Road farm near Milton for four years, the first two as managers. The 560ha farm (490 effective) was converted 23 years ago by the late Howard Paterson and is now run by his trust Whitestone supplying French food giant Danone’s Clydevale plant. With the 50:50 sharemilker leaving, the trust asked them to stay on and a 25% sharemilking contract was agreed to with the Henderson’s buying the herd of 850 cows over three years. “We own 365 cows now and at the end of June 2022 we will own all of them and will be 50:50 sharemilking,” Ann said. “The trust and Westpac have been backing us 110%. We couldn’t be doing this without them,” Scott said.
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“There are many pathways for people in the industry to progress. You’ve just got to find what one suits you best,” Ann said. Scott was a qualified carpenter in Balclutha when he met Ann who, from a sheep and beef farm near Edinburgh in Scotland, had also fallen for New Zealand dairying. She was working on a farm near Gore and he followed, first working as a tractor
driver and doing a bit of building but on his days off he would help Ann on the farm. “The more I learnt about dairying, the more I enjoyed it,” he said. The neighbour offered him a second in charge (2IC) position and “I’ve never looked back”. Although his building skills do not go amiss on the farm. “I think that’s why we work so well together,” Ann said. “We have totally different skill sets. My strengths are cows and grass and Scott’s are cultivation, crops, fertiliser and maintenance. “And we both deal with the financials, human resources and day to day running of the farm.” “If the cows are happy, I know I will have a happy wife,” Scott said. It was while Ann was an assistant manager near Gore that she won the Dairy Industry Awards Southland Otago 2017 manager of the year. Back then, she said farm ownership for the couple was 15 years away and they are still on track. Where that farm will be they’re not sure although they like farming in South Otago. “We started in Southland and have been steadily moving north so who knows?” she said.
$$$ FINANCIAL FACTS Sharemilking
25% Lower Order sharemilking
Costs shared
25% Lower Order sharemilking - costs are labour, power, shed expenses, 25% inshed feeding, gear and maintenance
Gross farm income
$1.77/kg MS
Operating expenses
$1.47/kg MS
Operating profit
$753/ha
Farm working expenses
$0.87/kg MS
Breakdown of costs
Wages $0.39/kg MS
Electricity $0.12/kg MS
Bought-in feed $0.07/kg MS
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | April 2021
