About Our Farm | Tō Mātou Pāmu
Forestry
The forestry operation is managed through independent contractors and specialist operators engaged as the work requires, including under existing agreements with the Crown. The Operations Manager coordinates contractors, ensures work meets the required standard, and keeps forestry activity aligned with the wider business.
Dairy
Dairy is the Incorporation's primary source of income and the core of the operation. A permanent team runs it:
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The Dairy Team Leader carries day-to-day responsibility for the dairy — setting the roster and priorities for each milking, leading herd health and treatment decisions, calling the vet where needed, monitoring milk quality, and managing feed and pasture allocation for the milking herd.
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Dairy Assistants bring the herd in and milk, prepare cows and maintain hygiene through milking, clean and maintain the shed and plant, monitor the herd for illness, injury and lameness, manage calving checks and calf care through the season, and keep animal health and milk quality records.
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Casual support covers shifts, peak periods, leave and roster gaps.
Developments
Three ventures sit in the development area. Each is run through contracts and consultants rather than direct employment, which lets the farm pursue additional income without adding permanent overhead.
Future
Diversifying Income
The direction for the farm is set by the Operations Manager and endorsed by the Committee, inside the mandate shareholders give at each AGM. Three areas of work are in progress or in prospect.
Dairy carries the business. The development ventures — dry stock, biofuel and mānuka honey — exist to reduce the Incorporation's exposure to a single commodity and a single payout, without committing the Incorporation to additional permanent staff or fixed cost. Each is assessed on its own commercial merits and reported to the Committee.
The 2025 constitution set new obligations for transparency: interest registers circulated to shareholders, business plans and budgets available on request, and wānanga before any constitutional change is put to a vote. Work continues on the systems needed to meet those obligations reliably — including improved records, faster response to shareholder requests, and better digital access for the many shareholders who live outside Te Tai Tokerau.