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Pouto Peninsula, Northland Region, New Zealand

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About

Mahipatua is a mixed sheep and beef breeding and finishing operation with 727 hectares of effective sheep and beef area, wintering 1,194 beef cattle and 2,065 sheep.

The livestock system includes around 1,300 breeding ewes and 260 breeding cows, alongside intensive bull finishing and more extensive beef finishing systems.

A key component of the system is the integration of dairy-beef, with surplus calves from the Trust’s dairy farms brought onto Mahipatua for finishing. The Trust is actively investing in beef genetics to lift the performance and value of these animals over time.

Farm production currently sits at an average of ~213 kg meat and fibre per hectare across the whole farm, reflecting a more traditional sheep and beef breeding system. But a higher performing bull finishing block of 132 ha’s keeps that average production up.

Farm Managers

Mahipatua is managed by Paul Herlihy, supported by Jordan Whitaker (Shepherd) and Joseph Watene (Shepherd General).

The farm operates under the governance of the Pouto Topu A Trust, an Ahuwhenua Trust representing its shareholders. The business is supported by long-term advisory input from AgFirst.

Farm Story

Mahipatua is a kaupapa-driven farming business focused on balancing profitability with environmental, cultural and social outcomes for its owners and future generations.

The Trust has invested heavily in recent years to strengthen farm infrastructure, environmental performance, and team capability. This has created a well-capitalised and well-managed business, positioned to take the next step in system productivity.

A key feature of the wider Trust operation is integration across multiple land uses, with Mahipatua operating alongside its’ two dairy farms with 1040 cows as part of a broader farming system.

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Rotorua District, Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand

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About

Onuku Māori Lands Trust is a Māori land trust with more than 5,000 owners and beneficiaries. The Trust is committed to protecting and enhancing its whenua while generating sustainable returns that support current and future generations.

The LIFT trial is being undertaken on the Trust's drystock farming operation, comprising 870 effective hectares. The farm finishes approximately 15,000 lambs annually and around 800 finishing cattle of various classes, while also grazing approximately 1,200 dairy heifers in support of the wider Onuku dairy operation.

Farm Managers

The farm is managed by Te Rangi Broughton, supported by Head Shepherd Puhi Tau and General Hand Cory Church. Together, they oversee the day-to-day management of the livestock operation and are focused on continual improvement across production, animal performance, and environmental outcomes.

Farm Story

Guided by the principles of kaitiakitanga, Onuku balances commercial success with kaitiakitanga, cultural values, and social outcomes for its owners.

The success of these operations enables the Trust to provide a range of benefits to its owners, including annual Owner Grants, Kaumātua Grants, and Education Grants. Onuku's commitment to excellence in farming has been recognised nationally, winning the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for Dairy Farming in 2018 and becoming a finalist in the drystock section of the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition in 2022.

A significant feature of the property is its extensive reserve network, with approximately 742 hectares of native and protected reserve areas. The farm also borders the iconic Lake Rotomahana, creating a unique farming environment where productive agriculture sits alongside important ecological and cultural values.

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About

Rotomate operates across approximately 1,150 hectares, including both owned land and lease blocks, with around 900 hectares of effective grazing area.

The farm is typical North Island hill country, with around 35–40 percent cultivatable land used to support cropping and finishing systems.

The system includes around 2,000 Romney-type breeding ewes, with 600–700 replacements retained annually and lambing ranging from approximately 120–140%. Alongside this, approximately 600 Friesian bulls are finished from weaners through to around 550kg liveweight, and the cattle system includes around 150 breeding cows, with additional young stock integrated into the system and all progeny finished on-farm.

Farm Managers

Mat Sherriff and Kim Tatham own and manage the farming operation at Rotomate, where Kim is the fourth generation of her family to live and farm on the property. The farm has been in the Tatham family since 1941.

Mat grew up on a sheep and beef farm near Lake Taupō, while Kim was raised on Rotomate. Together, they have been farming the property since 2012.

They live on-farm with their two children and operate a mixed on- and off-farm business, with Kim also running a local dental practice. In addition, they run a small on farm tourism business, offering team building session with luxury accommodation and food in the farm homestead

Farm Story

Rotomate has a long history of development, beginning as a run-down property purchased during the 1940s and progressively improved over multiple generations.

Mat and Kim farm with a strong focus on continuing that legacy—building on decades of investment in fencing, planting and land development. Earlier generations were proactive in fencing waterways and retiring native bush, setting the foundation for today’s environmental approach.

Since taking full ownership in 2019, they have continued to evolve the system to balance productivity with long-term sustainability and resilience.

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Wairoa District, Hawke's Bay Region, New Zealand

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About

Panekiri is a sheep and beef farm spanning 8,982 hectares, including around 5,200 hectares of effective rolling hill country, wintering approximately 50,000 stock units. It runs a structured system focused on livestock performance, pasture management and consistent day‑to‑day operations.

Located about 40 kilometres northwest of Wairoa alongside Te Urewera National Park, Panekiri is one of the larger farming operations in Pāmu.

Farm Manager

Jordan Smith, Farm Business Manager at Panekiri Station is responsible for performance, people, and farm systems.

About Pāmu

Pāmu is the brand name for Landcorp Farming Limited, a State‑Owned Enterprise that operates farms across Aotearoa New Zealand. As the country’s largest pastoral farming business, Pāmu manages a diverse portfolio across dairy, livestock, forestry and horticulture.

Its purpose is to lead the delivery of commercial and sustainable agriculture solutions for future generations, while balancing strong financial performance with care for people, animals and the environment.

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About

Te Hue is a 1,250-hectare property with around 1,200 hectares of effective area, running from approximately 200 to 600 metres above sea level. The farm is predominantly hill country, with a small proportion of flat land and a mix of rolling, medium and steeper terrain.

The farming system is centred on sheep and beef breeding and finishing. The property winters around 6,000 Highlander ewes, with a mating mix of maternal and terminal genetics targeting strong scanning and lambing performance. In addition, approximately 2,000 hoggets are retained, alongside 240 mixed-age Profit Maker cows and 160 rising-two-year-old in-calf cattle.

The farm also plays a role within the wider Waipuna system, retaining surplus heifer calves over winter before transferring them to other properties in spring. Around 200 bulls are bred and supplied as weaners to other Waipuna farms, supporting an integrated approach to stock management across the business.

Farm Managers

Mark and Lynsey Polson own and operate Waipuna Farms, a collection of four local properties that includes Te Hue. The business is multi-generational, with Mark’s parents, Donald and Liz Polson, continuing to work full time on the home farm and supporting the wider operation where needed.

The wider team includes Oliver Dennison and Jack Flower, who work across the farming business.

Farm Story

Waipuna Farms reflects a strong family farming legacy, with Donald and Liz having established the foundation that Mark and Lynsey continue to build on today. The business spans multiple properties and operates as an integrated system, with stock moving between farms to optimise performance and feed use.

Mark and Lynsey are focused on running a productive and resilient farming system that supports both current and future generations. Their approach centres on making practical improvements that strengthen farm performance while maintaining the values and work ethic that have underpinned the business over time.

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Central Hawke's Bay District, Hawke's Bay Region, New Zealand

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About

Longrange Station is a high-performing sheep and cattle breeding unit, running approximately 25,000 stock units. Its livestock policy is built on precision, performance, and quality, underpinning a system that mates 12,000 ewes to produce more than 16,500 lambs annually.

Of these, around 4,000 prime lambs are finished to premium market standards, with the remainder transferred internally. The operation is supported by a composite ewe flock bred for resilience, productivity, and eating quality. Alongside this, the station runs 600 Angus calving cattle, including 120 first-calving heifers, and finishes around 250 prime cattle each season.

Replacement heifers and ewe hoggets are bred and grown on-farm, before being transferred across Horizon Farming properties to support the wider system.

Farm Managers

Long range is managed by Richard Scholefield. Richard has over 25 years of agricultural leadership across large-scale, multi-enterprise farming operations on the east coast of North Island. He has a passion for driving sustainable, innovative farming practises, strategic thinking, and aligning operational excellence with commercial success.

Overseeing the Horizon Farming operation is General Manager, Jacques Reinhardt. He's been with the business for two and a half years and brings a strong mix of consulting and station management experience, having previously worked with BakerAg, managed Castlepoint Station for six years, and spent six and a half years as 2IC and manager at Wairere. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family, running and mountain biking, and is a keen sports fan.

Farm Story

Horizon Farming Limited is a sheep, beef, and deer farming operation based in Hawkes Bay. It comprises 34% leased and 66% owned land with approximately 7,400 effective hectares. This land is run in six different blocks from Havelock North to Woodville.

The Holdsworth family from Wellington owns the company, employs 24 full-time employees and several casual staff.

Longrange is the breeding powerhouse of Horizon Farming, supplying top-tier replacement stock—both heifers and ewe hoggets—to other farms within the business. This strategic integration ensures consistent genetics, high performance, and quality livestock across all Horizon properties.

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Marlborough District, Marlborough Region, New Zealand

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Profile TBC

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Mt White Station Mount White Road, Arthur's Pass

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About

Mt White is a large-scale high-country breeding and store stock station, covering close to 38,000 hectares of leasehold land. Of this, around 2,500 hectares are fenced and fertilised, while the remainder is extensive, undeveloped high-country terrain.

The farm carries a mix of livestock, including approximately 500 in-calf cows, 3,500 Merino ewes and 3,500 Merino wethers. The system has also included around 500 hinds, although these are being phased out to allow for an increase in cattle and sheep numbers.

Farm Managers

Sam and Pene Radford manage the farming operation at Mt White Station. They have three daughters - Poppy, Maggie and Lucy. The property is owned by Lukas Travnicek, who purchased it in 2018 and lives on-farm with his wife.

The wider business spans farming, tourism and honey production. Sam and Pene work alongside Hamish Foster (Stock Manager) and Harry Smith (Shepherd General).

Farm Story

Sam and Pene have been farming at Mt White for three and a half years. They are drawn to the station’s unique natural environment, its history, and the legacy left by those who have managed the land before them.

They see their role as caretakers of this iconic high-country station, balancing that responsibility with the need to deliver a strong and sustainable commercial return. For them, success is about lifting productivity and profitability while protecting the environment the farm sits within.

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Clutha District, Otago Region, New Zealand

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About

Lochindorb is a large-scale breeding and finishing operation covering approximately 2,500 hectares, with around a quarter in flats and the balance in harder hill country.

The farm carries a mix of sheep and beef livestock, including around 600 in-calf breeding cows (including 160 heifers) and approximately 6,300 Romdale ewes, alongside Suftex sheep and 1,600 hoggets.

The system operates across a combination of breeding, finishing and trading, with male cattle partly sold as weaned steers and the remainder finished as bulls or leased to dairy farms as R2 bulls. Cull cows are sent to the works, while lamb production is typically split evenly between finishing and trading. Winter feed is supported through crops such as oats and kale, with additional wholecrop used for silage and baleage.

Farm Managers

Lyndon and Jade McNab operate Lochindorb alongside their three children—Archie (15), Marla (12) and Hollis (9).

They are supported by a close-knit team including Alistair Bissett (Stock Manager), Archie Leggett and Connor O’Neill (Shepherds), and Trevor Hewson (Digger Driver).

Farm Story

Lochindorb is a third-generation farming business, with a strong focus on long-term stewardship, family legacy, and continuous improvement.

Lyndon and Jade have been leasing the property from Lyndon’s parents, Peter and Nellie, since the 2019–2020 season. The farm has been in the family since 1953, when it was purchased by Lyndon’s grandparents, Bill and Muriel, and later split across the wider family.

Focused on building a sustainable and resilient farming business that can be passed on to the next generation, Lyndon and Jade's approach is grounded in creating both economic and personal value - balancing profitability with enjoyment, strong team culture, and a sense of purpose across the business.

Their operating principles reflect this, with a strong emphasis on accountability, authenticity, and taking action, alongside creating opportunities for others and maintaining a positive, supportive environment.