Growing farmers for a positive future

The Regional Supreme Winners of the 2015 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) Richard and Annabelle Subtil have always been passionate about telling the farming story. “Sometimes it feels hard to be a farmer, so it’s up to us to tell the positive stories,” says Richard.

Ten years on from winning the award, the Subtils’ work with creating pathways for young, aspiring farmers show the judges’ observations and praise of their excellence in social sustainability was well placed.

From their home on the 12000ha Omarama Station in the South Island’s Mackenzie Country – a family-owned property previously farmed by Annabelle’s parents, Dick and Beth Wardell – Richard and Annabelle are preparing the next generation of farmers through the Growing Future Farmers initiative.

“We could see that there was a lack of young people coming into the industry, and harder for kids that didn’t come from a farming background to get into agriculture,” says Annabelle. “There was no pathway for anyone who was interested or keen to learn,” adds Richard.

Since setting up the Growing Future Farmers Trust in 2019 and starting a pilot programme in 2020 with 11 students on 11 farms, the programme now has 139 students on 105 farms in 14 regions across New Zealand.

It’s a two-year fees-free course where students live on farms. “They work on the farm four days a week and then on Fridays get together for some academic work or further training in essential farm skills such as fencing, shearing, and using a chainsaw,” says Annabelle.

The students also receive a pup when starting and dog training throughout the programme.

“By the end of the two years, they have two working dogs and are ready to hit the ground running in the workforce,” says Annabelle.

Richard and Annabelle are a farming duo that walk the talk and firmly believe that adopting a learning mindset is not just for the youngsters. They are embracing technology to help improve their farming, but using Gallagher’s eShepherd – a solar-powered, GPS-enabled livestock neckband that uses virtual reality fencing to manage herds – has been a steep learning curve.

“It’s a bit weird to put cows behind invisible fences but touch wood it’s doing what it said it would do,” says Richard.

The Subtils have worked for nearly two decades to preserve the ecological value of a 3000ha river flat block. They’re confident their farming practices are not having an adverse effect on the environment, but say it’s important to keep their social licence to operate high, which means adopting technology is important despite often being a substantial investment.

Eight weeks into the trial, Richard and Annabelle say they feel a bit like crash test dummies, but the tech is really exciting. “We’re happy to be early adopters because the options as they are now, for instance constantly losing fencing to flooding, aren’t working,” says Richard.

As well as keeping cows out of waterways the collars will also ensure a clean muster. “You can see every cow, and exactly where they are,” says Annabelle.

The Subtils’ Mackenzie Country property winters 23,000 stock units, including 7500 Merino ewes and 310 Angus-Hereford cows. The diverse operation grows a range of crops, produces high-quality wool and finishes around 10,000 lambs and 700 steers and heifers annually.

A centre pivot irrigation system that now covers 560ha was another huge investment, and an irrigation storage pond makes it possible to keep the system going during dry periods. “We can store about six weeks of water, and it’s an insurance policy in case of very dry periods,” says Richard.

Embracing technology, growing young farmers and committing to find better, smarter ways to farm within changing climate pressures keeps the Subtils focused on the future. “Both of our children are keen to be involved in farming and we want them to be proud and passionate to be the next generation telling positive farming stories,” says Richard.

• Richard and Annabelle Subtil were the 2015 Ballance Farm Environment Awards Regional Supreme Winners for the Canterbury region. 

• The Ballance Farm Environment Awards promote sustainable farming and growing across the country, and are facilitated by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust.