George Kruger: I help farmers face their challenges

George Kruger helps farmers understand council processes so they don't feel overwhelmed by the regulations they are required to follow. Photo / John Stone

My 5 years' experience working for the Northland Regional Council has stood me in good stead as a sustainable dairying adviser (SDA) for Fonterra.

The co-operative employs 17 SDAs nationally to work one-on-one with farmers to resolve any on-farm environmental issues or queries, including nutrient limits, water use, effluent management and riparian planting.

The largest team of sustainability advisers in the country, Fonterra SDAs help farmers meet the co-op's and the dairy industry's guidelines and requirements.

I've now been an SDA for nearly 3 years. Before that I worked in the regional council's farm dairy effluent consent department, then in its dairy effluent monitoring department.

This experience has proved valuable when it comes to helping farmers meet regional council regulations. I guess you could say it's one of my strengths.

Each SDA generally has an area they are stronger in than others, whether it's nutrient management, land management or the like. For me it's council processes and frameworks, helping farmers to not feel too overwhelmed by the regulations they are required to meet.

While I'm not from a farming background and was originally quite shy and reserved, my career choices have thrust me out of my shell and into the thick of face-to-face advisory roles.

I enjoy building relationships and trust with the 500 farmers in my "patch".

A big part of my job is about helping farmers understand the co-operative spirit, letting them know that I'm there to support them and recognising the pressures and stresses that they are often working under.

Farmers have a lot on their plates and need to be proficient in a number of areas, like a "jack of all trades". Many of these areas are my bread and butter and I'm able to speak openly and honestly to help them find solutions to an issue they might have or a change they want to make.

I think the pace of change is the biggest challenge farmers are facing. With regulations and requirements evolving or new ones being introduced some farmers want advice about what they need to do right away and what can wait, or be managed over time.

When farm finances are stretched, it can be stressful for farmers to consider where they need to commit cash if they have to upgrade or modify their equipment or systems. My job is to help them make decisions about where and when they should commit their resources.

Our Northland farmers did it tough in recent years due to low global milk prices. But they stayed committed to their sustainability obligations. Upgrades to effluent systems continued, waterways fencing progressed and participation in Fonterra's nitrogen
programme rose from around 38 per cent three years ago to 78 per cent today.

I'm expecting the 2017/18 season will see our farmers continue to step it up and build on where we've got to. They share the public's concern for good environmental practices and want to keep improving their performance.

George Kruger is a Fonterra sustainable dairying adviser for Northland