The public had a glimpse into how one farming company balances irrigation needs with protecting and enhancing the environment at a field day near Hinds last week.
Irrigation company MHV Water combined with Align Farms to host a field day to show how good management practices helped to achieve improved water quality and environmental outcomes with a successful business on the Align Longfield property.
The 283-hectare dairy farm is managed by former Young Farmer of the Year Matt Bell and his wife, Sam. The intensive arable farm was bought in 2012 and converted to dairy by being completely redeveloped and regrassed for milk supply in July 2013.
The Align company, which was founded by John Buchanan and Rob Cameron, has four dairy farms and a dairy support farm in Mid Canterbury.
Mr Bell told the audience getting the staff to buy into good environmental practices took time but revolved around everyone being involved at all levels.
''The system doesn't rely on me being here. Everyone can do everything,'' he said.
Align used five key principles for staff management - quality infrastructure, quality housing, good pay and working conditions, flexible rosters and investment in staff, he said.
The farm had a six-days-on, two-days-off roster but would swap to five days on, two days off from June, Mr Bell said.
Rosters were designed on a three-month rotation, meaning all staff got weekends off at times.
Good housing and farm infrastructure allowed staff to focus on things which mattered, Mr Bell said.
Maintenance of all equipment was done on Mondays, and bucket tests to check irrigator efficiency were done annually.
Rhys Roberts, the head of operations for Align Farms, said the company believed in the motto 'better people, better farms', and encouraged its staff to be community-minded and look outside the farm gate.
''Human capital is the most important capital,'' he said.
The company wanted to make sure it was a leader in good management practice and produced value-added milk products.
''We don't want to be doing high production, but fair production.''
-By Maureen Bishop
