Pāmu selects Wairoa farmers as equity partners at Mahiwi sheep and beef farm

Wairoa sheep and beef farmers Alice Wilson and Cameron Hassall have been selected as Pāmu's new equity partners for Mahiwi Farm.

By Gianina Schwanecke of RNZ

State-owned farming enterprise Pāmu has selected its new equity partners for Mahiwi farm from a pool of about 80 applicants.

It’s Pāmu’s first livestock equity partnership, building on its introduction of dairy sharemilking arrangements in 2024.

Wairoa sheep and beef farmers Cameron Hassall and Alice Wilson will help run the 1755-hectare farm - a new entity co-owned by Pāmu and Hassall will lease just over 700ha used for sheep and beef farming - with Pāmu retaining control of the remainder of sheep, beef and forestry property west of Wairoa.

The nine-year lease will run with a right of renewal every three years.

Hassall and Wilson, who grew up locally, farm a nearby lease block, which Wilson will continue to manage alongside helping with the Mahiwi operations.

Hassall said it was “unique to have skin in the game at the place you work” in the sheep and beef sector, as there weren’t the same pathways to building equity or farm ownership as there are in dairy.

“Every dollar that we can save by doing something ourselves or increasing production means another dollar dropping out the bottom, which we get a share of at the end of the year,” he said.

“I enjoy getting stuck into a farming business and helping create a system that’s efficient and profitable.

“Improving grass quality, ewe performance and lamb and calf weaning weights has been a focus in every role I’ve had.”

He said it was the “start of a journey” alongside Pāmu and hoped by the end of the lease it would provide the framework for a model that could be rolled out nationwide.

For Wilson, it was about building “something real”.

“We want to grow our stake in Mahiwi, improve the farm’s performance, and show that this model works, not just for us, but for other young farmers looking for a way into ownership.”

Looking ahead, the couple see the Mahiwi partnership as a pathway to scale, security and opportunity for themselves and their growing family - they are expecting their first child this year.

Pāmu chief operations officer Will Burrett said it was about backing ambitious, capable people into farm ownership through helping them build equity.

It was about providing a stepping stone to grow equity within a “structured, safe environment”, which created liquidity for both younger generations looking to get their foot on the farm ownership ladder as well as older generations looking to exit the industry.

“Mahiwi is a strong example of how we can support operators to lift farm performance, grow equity, and strengthen business capability while retaining Crown ownership of the land.”

Burrett said Pāmu had seen “tangible progression” from within its own workforce through the dairy partnerships.

“[This] brings the total to seven dairy and one livestock operation now operating under contract or equity‑style arrangements.

“It shows the model is opening up genuine career and ownership pathways for our people and to the sector.”

- RNZ