SIDE Field Trip
Kick off the SIDE conference with a behind-the-scenes look at two very different but equally impressive farming operations....click for more info
About This Workshop
This visit offers a great opportunity to step outside dairy and see how a large-scale horticulture business is being established, managed and future-proofed.
From there, we’ll head to Chertsey to visit Ashmount Farm’s brand-new dairy conversion - a 426 ha operation which will milk 1,700 cows. Hear firsthand about the decisions, challenges and opportunities involved in developing a modern, large-scale dairy system from the ground up.
The afternoon wraps up back at Lincoln University with networking drinks and nibbles - the perfect chance to connect, compare notes and ease into the SIDE conference.
About the Speaker(s)
Ed Tapp – General Manager NZSF Portfolio
Ed joined FarmRight in 2007 as a Trainee Consultant and has progressed through roles including Consultant, Investment Manager and Portfolio Lead, to become a senior leader within the company. Ed is also a current Shareholder Director of FarmRight.
Hannah Murdoch – Investment Manager Pipfruit
Hannah has been with FarmRight for eight years, beginning her journey as a Support Coordinator after gaining hands-on experience through several seasons Sharemilking. As FarmRight expanded into Horticulture, Hannah supported the onboarding and ongoing management of new Horticulture ventures, which lead to her appointment as Investment Manager for Horticulture. With the continued growth of FarmRight’s Pipfruit portfolio, Hannah’s role has recently evolved to focus specifically on this area, reflecting the strategic importance of the sector. In addition to her operational responsibilities, Hannah holds a small shareholding in FarmRight and is actively pursuing professional development in governance through the Institute of Directors and the FarmRight Board.
Damian Febery – Development Manager
Damian joined FarmRight as Development Manager in July 2023 to lead the redevelopment of 120 ha of NZSF owned apple orchards in the Tasman region, later relocating to Canterbury to lead the Tōrea development. Damian has been building his career in horticulture for around 16 years and has been lucky to work with a mix of crops over that time including apples, cherries, blackcurrants, and avocados. Damian particularly enjoys the challenge of developing orchards and helping to grow the industry, while working with great people along the way.
Matt Bentley – Tōrea Orchard Manager
Matt comes to Tōrea with a background in agriculture spanning from dairy to large scale specialty seed production. Working alongside Damian, this is Matt’s first role in horticulture, with his experience in leadership roles, he is focusing on building a high performing team, efficient systems, growing premium-quality apples, and developing people along the way.
Peter O'Connor:
Peter is the manager of a 1,000-cow operation at Chertsey Dairies, working for Will and Kim Grayling just north of Ashburton. Originally from a family farm in Westport, Peter has quickly established himself as a standout in the dairy industry. He was named New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year in 2022 and went on to be runner-up in the prestigious NZ Young Farmer of the Year competition in 2023. Most recently, Peter spent a year travelling, which included time working on a dairy farm in the UK, further broadening his skills and experience. Off-farm, he keeps active with hockey, hunting, and squash.
Pathways to Wealth Creation in the Dairy Industry
This workshop celebrates everyday people in dairy achieving extraordinary results - building wealth, creating opportunities, and making a lasting impact.....click for more info
About This Workshop
About the Speaker(s)
Aaron and Frances Cole:
Aaron & Frances operate a large-scale farming business in South Canterbury, predominantly focused on dairy, alongside interests in beef, dairy support, in-house contracting and, more recently, sheep. Their farming portfolio spans approximately 1,800 hectares and includes a mix of self-owned farms, equity partnerships and leased properties.
Aaron grew up on a mixed sheep and cropping farm south of Timaru and entered the dairy industry straight from school, progressing through the traditional pathway from farm management to sharemilking and ultimately farm ownership. Frances previously worked as a print journalist and now plays a key role in the administration of the business, supported by a small office team. They have three teenage daughters and enjoy being part of the Geraldine community.
Ben Smith:
Ben and Chloe along with their 3 daughters farm in Waimate South Canterbury. They started dairying in 2009 and in 2016 lower order sharemilking 800 cows with the Paul family. Together they have grown to 4,000 cows over 5 properties.
People, water, cows and co-ops have allowed them to grow an efficient productive farming business. Ben is passionate about the importance of co-ops, delivering semen, water and collecting milk.
Ben is the Chair of the LIC Shareholders Reference Group and has has a Bachelor of Commerce in International Business and Management and is also a Director of local irrigation co-op MGI Irrigation Ltd.
Manjoi Kumar & Sumit Kamoj:
We are Manoj and Sumit Kamboj (brothers), dairy professionals born in India, and now working in the New Zealand dairy industry. Our journey began as international students and farm workers, and through hands-on experience, continuous learning, and strong teamwork, we progressed into equity partnership and sharemilking roles.
In recognition of our leadership, business performance, animal welfare focus, and people management, we were honoured to be named New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year. Today, we are actively involved in large-scale dairy operations and are passionate about developing people, building sustainable farm systems, and sharing practical insights from our journey in New Zealand dairy.
Turning Milk into Profit: Smart Spending Strategies from the Top 20%
What separates the top 20% of dairy operators from the rest?....click for more info
About This Workshop
This practical, data-driven workshop reveals how leading farms manage costs, make smart spending decisions, and maximise profitability without compromising performance. Hear from experts and top farmers as they share real-world strategies for controlling costs, investing wisely, and turning small efficiencies into big results - offering actionable insights to help you boost your bottom line.
About the Speaker(s)
Kerry and Aimee Burt are 50/50 sharemilkers in Canterbury, currently operating two dairy farms in Leeston and Hinds and milking a combined total of around 1,050 cows. They farm alongside their three children and have built a strong partnership in both business and family life.
Kerry has farmed in the South Island for the past 15 years, and together Kerry and Aimee have been in business for 11 years. Over that time they have developed a reputation for running productive and efficient dairy operations, with a strong focus on cow performance, cost control, relationships and sustainable business growth.
Next season they will take on a new large-scale 50/50 sharemilking opportunity, milking approximately 1,400 cows, as they continue progressing toward their long-term goal of farm ownership. They place strong emphasis on relationships within their team, with rural professionals and within the wider farming community, while maintaining a disciplined financial approach to ensure the business remains both cost-effective and sustainable.
“If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together”.
Rethinking the Future: Practical Tools for Using AI on Farm
Discover how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of dairy farming.....click for more info
About This Workshop
Join our industry leaders as they share insights and explore how AI tools can be applied in everyday farm management. Through interactive activities and real-world examples, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of the opportunities ahead - and how to prepare for the changes coming to on-farm decision making and efficiency.
About the Speaker(s)
James Allen
James is the CEO of AgFirst, New Zealand’s largest provider of primary sector advisory services. James is also a past president of the New Zealand Fieldays Society, a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management, and a previous national president of New Zealand Young Farmers.
James was awarded a Nuffield scholarship in 2023. The rise of Agriculture 4.0, the next agricultural revolution, and in particular the increased use of AI, is set to bring profound change on how both famers and farm advisers solve the complex problems facing farming. His research focused on re-defining what excellence looks like for the agricultural advisory sector in the midst of this change, to help keep New Zealand farmers at the leading edge of profitability and sustainability.
Hayden Lawrence
Hayden, along with his wife is dairy farming just south of Eltham, Taranaki where they own and operate a 420 cow farm alongside their three young children.
Before going dairy farming, 15 years ago Hayden completed a PhD in Precision Agriculture and undertook the development and rollout of the Rapid Pasture Meter.
Hayden has a passion for agricultural research and loves finding the balance between the research process and the commercial realities of farming on their own farm.
Optimising Your System: Making the Most of a High Payout Year
Every farm system can succeed - the key is understanding your own and knowing where to fine-tune it....click for more info
About This Workshop
About the Speaker(s)
Pete Smit – Low input system
Pete Smit farms alongside his wife Emma in Papakaio, North Otago, where they milk 1,000 cows across 313 hectares. After six years in contract milking, they are now in their fourth season as farm owners, focused on building a high-performing, low-cost system designed to maximise return on equity.
With a degree in Agricultural Science and an MBA, Pete brings both technical and financial discipline to farm decision-making. His system is built on simplicity and resilience - proving that strong performance doesn’t require unnecessary complexity. In this workshop, Pete will share real cost structures, performance data, and the practical fine-tuning that keeps their business efficient, adaptable, and profitable.
Jack Symes – Medium input system
Jack Symes is the Equity Manager of his family’s 160ha system 3 farm in Southbridge, Central Canterbury, milking 630 KiwiCross cows. With a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) from Lincoln University, Jack combines commercial insight with hands-on management.
After two years gaining experience away from home, Jack returned to further develop and refine the farm system. His focus is on understanding the levers within a system 3 operation - where feed inputs, cost control, and pasture management must align precisely. In this workshop, Jack will share performance benchmarks, financial insights, and the small operational tweaks that have strengthened profitability and system efficiency.
Peter Schouten – High input system
Peter Schouten emigrated from the Netherlands 26 years ago and purchased the family farm in 2010. Farming alongside his wife Kristy, they now operate a 1,500-cow predominantly Holstein Friesian, split-calving System 5 enterprise.
Holding both a Diploma in Farm Management and a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) from Lincoln University, Peter combines scale with strategic oversight. His high-input system demands tight monitoring, strong cost control, and disciplined performance management. In this workshop, Peter will provide detailed insight into the economics of a System 5 operation - sharing real data, what’s working in their business, and how targeted fine-tuning drives both production and profit.
Advancing Pasture and Animal Performance Through Technology
Genetic technology is rapidly shaping the future of dairying, and this session breaks down what that means for your farm.....click for more info
About This Workshop
Leading scientists translate complex research into practical insights for South Island systems, exploring how genetics can boost animal health, feed efficiency, and climate resilience.
Gain a clear view of where these technologies are heading, what’s realistic now, and how they could influence your farm’s profitability and decisions.
About the Speaker(s)
About the Speaker(s)
This workshop brings together three of New Zealand’s leading voices in pasture innovation, genetic technology, and future‑focused dairying.
John Caradus is one of New Zealand’s most respected agricultural scientists and a global leader in pasture breeding, known for turning cutting‑edge research, including emerging gene‑editing approaches aimed at realising plants’ full genetic potential, into forage technologies farmers use every day. His deep industry experience and clear, practical insight will help attendees understand which innovations truly matter and how they will shape the future of high‑performing pastoral systems.
Dr Linda Johnson is a nationally awarded science leader driving breakthroughs in gene‑edited forages and advanced endophyte technologies that are redefining pasture resilience and productivity. She is valued for making complex genetic innovation accessible to farmers, offering clear insight into how emerging tools will transform future pasture performance.
Corrigan Sowman, farmer, Nuffield Scholar, and Chairman of the LIC board, will bring an on‑farm perspective and practical lens on how genomics and precision breeding technologies translate into healthier, more efficient, and lower‑emissions herds. Bringing the big picture home, Corrigan helps farmers cut through the noise and understand which innovations genuinely deliver value at farm level, focusing on productivity, and building resilient farm systems that perform both financially and environmentally.
Governance on Farm: Building Better Businesses Through Smarter Decision-Making
Good governance isn’t just for big businesses - it’s for any farmer wanting to make smarter decisions, build stronger relationships, and achieve long-term success.....click for more info
About This Workshop
In this session, industry leaders and farmers share how governance has improved clarity, accountability, and business performance, with insights from both boardroom and on-farm perspectives. Gain practical tools, ideas for mentorship and advisory networks, and a clear sense of how good governance can help you run a better business today and build a stronger one for the future.
About the Speaker(s)
Stuart Taylor – General Manager of Farming, Craigmore Sustainables:
Stuart Taylor is a fifth-generation dairy farmer and General Manager of Farming at Craigmore Sustainables, overseeing operations across 20 dairy farms and around 16,000 cows in Canterbury and North Otago. Alongside this national leadership role, Stuart and his family farm an 800-cow dairy property near Ashburton. His hands-on farming experience shapes a practical, people-focused approach to leadership and governance. Stuart also brings governance experience across several large dairy operations and industry-good organisations including NAWAC and Safer Farms. He offers a grounded perspective on how good governance, strong leadership, and clear accountability can improve decision-making and performance both on-farm and at scale.
Victoria Trayner – Farmer and Director:
Victoria Trayner farms in Oxford, Canterbury with her husband and their three daughters. A sixth-generation farmer, their diversified farming business spans dairy, pigs, sheep and beef, and a boutique export flower enterprise. Victoria brings extensive governance experience across the primary sector, serving as a director of LIC and IrrigationNZ, Chair of IrrigationNZ Accreditation, and in leadership roles with Burnt Hill Storage Dam and the Waimakariri Irrigation Company. A proud descendant of Waitaha and Ngāti Māmoe (Ngāi Tahu), Victoria offers valuable insights from both the farm gate and board table on how strong governance supports resilient and successful farming businesses.
Michelle Pye – Director, Pye Group:
Michelle Pye and her husband Leighton own and operate Pye Group, a large-scale agricultural business spanning dairy, cropping, process vegetables, grazing, transport, and contracting. Over the past 13 years Michelle has held a number of governance roles across community and industry organisations. Through these experiences she has developed a strong appreciation for how governance can strengthen decision-making, accountability, and long-term planning. Michelle has applied many of these principles within their own business to help drive performance and prepare for succession. She brings a practical perspective on how governance frameworks can support growth and resilience in family farming businesses.
Brent Love:
Brent’s role within KPMG is to enhance the knowledge that KPMG can bring to the agriculture sector. He specialises in advisory and financial management of private and corporate agricultural businesses, as well as, provides additional support around equity
partnerships, debt funding, succession planning and strategy.
Brent is well versed in on-farm management practices and systems with significant practical experience too. Through long term commitment to the industry, Brent has a good understanding of physical, financial and social (people) factors in business.
Sharing the Real Story: Building Your Brand and Promoting Dairy Positively Online
Social media is a powerful tool used to shape how people see dairy farming, but using it well takes skill and confidence.....click for more info
About This Workshop
In this practical workshop, Grassroots Media shares how to tell authentic, positive stories that promote both your business and the wider dairy sector. Learn to build your brand, attract great people, and create smart, honest content that balances the good with the real. Walk away inspired and equipped to share your story confidently and strengthen the dairy community online.own simple web pages and understand the core concepts that power the modern web.
About the Speaker(s)
Allie King:
Alongside her husband Ben King, they 50:50 sharemilk 650 cross bred and jersey cows, in North Canterbury.
They have two children, Lincoln and Isabelle and a fluffy Samoyed dog called Ted who regularly features on their instagram and Facebook.
They have been in the industry for 11 years when Ben started as a farm assistant and Allie worked in a farm store. Allie wasn’t bought up in farming and had no exposure to it until Ben went farming. They then went contract milking in 2018 and worked our way up to 50:50 in 2022.
Our social media was borne out of the fact that my family and friends from town didn’t have much understanding of what a farming lifestyle was like, and the misconception around farm policies and procedures. We would often be at events and hear people bad-mouthing farmers. We wanted to showcase and promote dairy whilst educating our friends and family of our truth to farming in NZ. Allie is also the Dairy Women’s Network hub leader for Canterbury & North Otago.
Amber Carpenter:
Amber Carpenter is a dairy farmer, digital marketer, and sector leader with a strong commitment to shaping positive, honest narratives about New Zealand’s food and fibre sector.
Together with her husband Fraser, Amber farms just under 500 dairy cows in Paparimu, South Auckland, and leases two beef farms. Her hands on involvement across multiple farming
systems gives her a grounded understanding of the realities, pressures, and opportunities facing modern farming businesses.
Alongside farming, Amber owns and leads Grass Roots Media, a digital marketing agency built specifically for the food and fibre sector. Grass Roots Media partners with farmers, growers, and agribusinesses to help them tell authentic stories, clearly communicate their value, and succeed with practical digital marketing strategies that build trust, connection, and long term impact.
Amber is deeply involved in industry leadership and governance. She has served as National Chair of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, is Chair of DairyNZ’s Dairy Environment Leaders network, a Farmstrong Ambassador, an Esculator graduate and a Kellogg Scholar. She is also actively involved in community and catchment initiatives, bringing people together to create meaningful and lasting change.
Her leadership is driven by a clear purpose creating positive, impactful and lasting change for the people, communities, and future generations that underpin the food and fibre sector.
What They Wish They Knew: Lessons From The Dairy Journey
What They Wish They Knew: Lessons From the Dairy Journey...click for more info
About This Workshop
About the Speaker(s)
Andy Macfarlane:
Andy is passionate about production, processing, delivery and presentation of food and its co-products to consumers. His on-farm interests include sustainable use of water and achieving high productivity with a low environmental footprint.
He has a long-term commitment to integrating science and education with adoption strategies to help build businesses with values that enhance the NZ Brand.
Andy is a current director of ANZCO, chairs the SFFF Plantain project, is a former director of Fonterra and also chairs a number of private companies. He has chaired the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management, and Deer Industry NZ. He has had served as a director of AgResearch, Ngāi Tahu Farming, spent 12 years as a councillor of Lincoln University, and co-founded Macfarlane Rural Business Limited.
Andy, with wife Tricia, farm irrigated land in Mid Canterbury, focused mainly on dairy, and their son Tom and his family specialise in deer and beef on South Canterbury hill country.
Carlos Cuadrado:
Gisela and Carlos are originally from Argentina. The arrived in NZ in 2002 to work as farm assistants near Tauranga. In 2003 they moved to Canterbury to work as unit managers of an 850 cows farm. In 2005 they started working at Seafield, where they have been LOSM since 2009 till today. Through hard work and disciplined money management, they developed their business outside the LOSM job, first through a partnership (which owned two farms), then on their own. Today they own a 600 cows farm near Ashburton while still working as LOSM in Seafield. They have 4 children between 13 and 22 years old.
Kiri Roberts:
Kiri Roberts manages Align Clareview, Align Farms’ flagship dairy platform in Mid Canterbury and the home of the group’s regenerative farming trial. She leads a large team and oversees both conventional and regenerative systems, using farm-level data to track environmental, social, and financial outcomes. Kiri plays a key role in shaping a strong, innovative workplace culture that supports people to thrive. At Clareview, a substantial food garden provides fresh produce for staff, lifting nutrition, morale, and connection across the farm.
Louise Gibson:
Louise Gibson and her husband are based in Morrinsville and own a 100ha dairy farm in West Huntly, which they are currently transforming into a profitable, productive business. Louise is the Managing Director of The Sharefarming Consultants, a business that supports farm owners, sharemilkers, and contract milkers to build successful working relationships without compromising on-farm performance. While primarily based in the Waikato, the business works with clients across New Zealand through online support. Alongside farming and consulting, Louise and her husband are raising two busy boys, aged seven and five, and run a co-working space in Morrinsville for their local community.
Will Grayling:
Will, along with his wife Kim are equity partners in a 3400 cow farm at Ashburton with a team of 17 people. Will started out managing 750 cows in 2008 and through stock ownership, Kim and Will built themselves in to a position to become equity partners with Jim and Sue Van der Poel in an 1800 cow farm in 2013. Kim and Will believe in the value of win-win partnerships and the potential of the dairy industry, having grown both their shareholding in the farm as well as growing the size of the farming operation which also includes two further Equity Partnership Farms.
Building Great Teams: Leadership, Culture, and Retention on Farm
Strong teams are built through great leadership, clear communication, and trust.....click for more info
About This Workshop
In this practical workshop, leadership experts and farmers share real-life lessons on creating and sustaining high-performing teams - covering delegation, staff development, and maintaining smooth operations. Walk away with practical strategies to grow and retain great people, strengthen team culture, and lead with confidence, because keeping good staff is the smartest investment you can make.
About the Speaker(s)
Nick Coster:
Nick is General Manager of No8HR, a specialist people and leadership consultancy business supporting New Zealand’s primary sector. With experience across corporate farming, banking and agribusiness advisory, Nick works with farm businesses and industry leaders on workforce strategy, leadership capability and building resilient people systems to support the future performance of the dairy sector.
Tania Burrows:
Tania is a Central Canterbury dairy farmer, leadership coach, and mother of three who is passionate about helping farmers build stronger teams and lead with confidence. Alongside her husband Johno, she runs Alpine Dairies, a 50/50 sharemilking business milking 750 cows. An ICF-credentialed coach, Tania supports farmers to strengthen emotional intelligence and leadership both on and off the farm. She tutors Dairy Training courses, leads the NextGen Dairy Farmer programme for young people entering the industry, and was named Regional Leader of the Year in 2020 for her grassroots leadership in dairying.
Daniel Joho:
Daniel lives in Mid Canterbury with his wife, Laura, and their three daughters.
Originally from Dannevirke, Daniel grew up working on his family’s 350-cow dairy farm. After spending time away studying and working as an engineer, he and his family moved to the South Island 10 years ago.
Seven years ago, the family sold their North Island farm and are now equity partners, alongside Daniel’s parents, in a 600-cow farm just outside Ashburton. They are also equity partners and lower-order sharemilkers on a 1,300-cow farm in Carew.
Keynote Session - Legends of Dairy
This Keynote session brings together Legends of Dairy at different stages of their wealth journey to share what’s worked, what’s changed, and what still holds true......click for more info
About This Workshop
About the Speaker(s)
Colin Glass is the Chief Executive of New Zealand’s largest dairy farming enterprise, a business with assets exceeding one billion dollars and a farming footprint that includes more than 60,000 cows farmed throughout the South Island. Under his leadership, the organisation has delivered sustained growth, operational excellence, and a reputation for developing exceptional people.
Over his 25-year tenure, Colin has been instrumental in supporting Dairy Holdings people to complete more than 50 purchases - a testament to his commitment to lifting capability and creating meaningful pathways within the dairy sector. His influence extends well beyond day-to-day operations; he is widely respected for his strategic insight, industry and irrigation knowledge, and dedication to advancing New Zealand dairy farming.
Alongside leading the country’s largest dairy enterprise, Colin has contributed extensively to national and regional organisations that champion the interests of New Zealand dairy farmers, reinforcing his standing as a trusted and influential voice within the sector - Legendairy.
Colin, his wife Paula, and two girls are also dairy farmers, operating successful farming businesses in the Methven area.
Leonie Guiney is a South Island dairy farmer, ex Fonterra director, and strong advocate for New Zealand’s world leading pasture-based systems.
Together with her husband Kieran, they have built a highly successful multi farm business by focusing on simple, low input, clover driven systems that deliver resilience, profitability, and environmental strength. Leonie and Kieran are classic examples of what can be achieved within our industry.
A Wellington local, Leonie completed her studies at Massey University and went on to work in dairy consulting before she and Kieran took up a contract milking opportunity in 2002. From there, they have steadily built their business to achieve significant land ownership across several regions. Throughout their journey, they have encouraged their team to follow a similar path to success, all this while at the same time being a champion voice for dairy farmers across New Zealand.
Will Grayling is a leading New Zealand dairy farmer and agribusiness professional, recognised for his leadership in large scale pasture-based operations and his 2011 FMG New Zealand Young Farmer of the Year title.
Will, together with his wife Kimberly, form a young and ambitious couple who have built and continue to grow high performing dairy businesses in Canterbury through 50/50 sharemilking and equity partnerships, including major operations with long standing partners Jim and Sue van der Poel.
Alongside his own achievements, Will is a strong supporter of Kimberly’s work and the significant impact she has made through the successful Grassroots Dairy Graduate Programme - an initiative that has helped open doors for emerging talent in the rural sector. Their combined drive, vision, and complementary strengths have become a defining part of their ongoing business success.
Will has also contributed to industry governance in roles with organisations such as Ballance Agri Nutrients and now serves as Chairman of Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation. He is widely respected for his commitment to operational excellence, sustainable farming systems, and developing great people within the dairy sector.
