The purchase of Jerseyland Farms is a “game- changer” for the Jersey breed.
Jerseyland Farms
In June 2021 farmer advocacy group Jersey Advantage and breed society, Jersey NZ entered into a joint venture along with five private investors to purchase a 215ha dairy farm at Makarewa, Southland.
Julie Pirie, chair of Jerseyland Farms called the purchase a “game-changer” for the Jersey breed.
The farm will be run as a commercial operation generating cashflow and providing a sustainable income stream for both organisations.
“The funding will allow us to deliver commercial advantages for the Jersey breed; namely ensuring a fair payment for Jersey milk, ensuring BW and PW accurately reflect the advantages of Jersey cattle, ensuring emissions modelling captures Jersey efficiency, and supporting industry planning around bobby calf management and pathways for Jersey beef.”
The project consolidates the relationship Jersey NZ and Jersey Advantage have built over the past two years and will help secure a positive long-term financial future for both parties.
If you are interested in supporting this venture or would like to find out more please contact one of the Jersey Advantage or JerseyNZ directors.
Julie Pirie, chair of Jerseyland Farms.
Calving is underway and the first milk has been supplied to Fonterra.
“The Jerseyland Farms Board is excited with the enthusiasm from members of both Jersey NZ and Jersey Advantage, and appreciates the support given,” says Julie Pirie, chair of Jerseyland Farms.
“We are looking forward to sharing information from the farm with you all as it comes to hand.”
Read our FAQ here
Where is the farm located?
493 Counsell Road, Makarewa, Southland. Approximately 17km to Invercargill, 7km to Makarewa. The area is known for strong grass growth, enabling a low-cost grass-based farming system.
What’s the herd size?
600 cows.
What’s the ownership and governance structure of the farm?
Jersey Advantage and Jersey NZ both hold a 25% share in the farm – along with five commercial investors who each hold a 10% share.
The board comprises one representative from both Jersey NZ and Jersey Advantage, and two directors representing the independent investors.
Chair – Julie Pirie
Directors – Ray Colebrook, Rodney Dobson, Mark Townshend
The board is meeting monthly via Zoom – reports from Dairy Direct and the financial reports prepared by Jersey NZ are tabled, and those points raised needing director inputs are discussed.
Reporting to stakeholders will be through meeting minutes. Like all new ventures there are policies and procedures to finalise.
Who manages day-to-day operations on the farm?
Day to day operation is managed by contract milkers.
Dairy Direct has been contracted to oversee the farming operation – offering support, as well as organising the farm inputs.
What is the makeup of the herd?
The farm is fully stocked with 600 cows, over 200 of these are Jerseys. The aim is to transition to a Jersey herd in the future, so the artificial breeding programme will consist of Premier Sires Jersey and Jersey Future bulls.
What production is the farm targeting in year 1?
The farm is targeting around 250,000 kgMS from a low-cost, grass-based system.
What infrastructure is on-farm?
The farm has a 40 aside herringbone shed with an in-shed feed system and 14 ACRs. There are good support buildings, calf sheds and a modernised effluent system with 700 cow consent.
The farm includes a four-bedroom house, three-bedroom house, and single persons accommodation.
How has winter grazing been managed?
Winter grazing is an integral part of Southland dairy farming, this saw the cows located on three farms, all fed different crops.
The cows that originated from the North Island spent time near Te Anau, grazing grass and silage, whilst others were closer to the main farm, with turnips, silage and kale crops being their feed options.
Is flooding a risk in the area?
The area poses some flood risk, with a usually short-term impact that is managed with additional supplements. The risk of a more significant flood is estimated to be a 1 in 20-30 year event.
Are there plans to grow the business?
The intention is that this investment is part of a 10-15 year plan to build a farm portfolio that delivers 500,000 plus KgMS.
We are seeking to secure the financial future of both Jersey NZ and Jersey Advantage. It is an opportunity to ensure that both organisation are there to serve the needs of future generations of Jersey farmers.
How can I support the Joint Venture?
We are seeking support for the JV in the form of donations or interest-free loans for an agreed term. Longer-term, there may be the option to provide support via the donation of animals etc. To discuss how you can support this venture please contact one of the Jersey Advantage or Jersey NZ board.