What are they up to now? Abe and Anita de Wolde – Woldwide Dairy Group

The couple’s business, Woldwide Dairy Group, takes a values based approach around the core elements of people, planet and profit. Abe and Anita believe that any farming practice undertaken in their organisation should be socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Growing substantially over the years, Woldwide now comprises 6 farms, Woldwide One to Five and Woldwide Run-Off where they raise all their young stock. To support this thriving business, they have built an office, employed a compliance manager, an HR manager and an office manager and have built two freestall barns on their newest farm, and are in the process of building two barns on the former equity partnership farm.

Interesting developments that Abe and Anita see for dairy in Southland is the change away from winter cropping towards baleage and grass, or indoor wintering. They have freestall barns which they are happy with and are still convinced that they allow for very sustainable farming methods.

“Our newest barns have been designed for cows calving inside, in a straw area.  The manure is stored in an Ecobag (a fully closed bag), rather than a pond which eliminates volatilisation and improves nitrogen efficiency.”

The biggest challenges they see for the coming years are the increased complexity through environmental regulations particularly regarding greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen and phosphorus loss, animal welfare standards including the treatment of bobby calves. They also recognise that New Zealand is not insulated from the rest of the world and is subject to global consumer demands.

In five years’ time Abe and Anita intend to still be dairy farming  possibly with some horizontal integration with trees, bulls, and forestry.

“It is hard to say in today’s crazy world however, but we will just continue to roll with the punches.”