Ravensdown keeps Mike dedicated for decades

Mike Davey says it has been 50 golden years with Ravensdown and he has no plans of slowing down, "as long as I know I am getting up each day to make an impact I will still be working".

Mike reached his half century employed with the farming co-operative earlier this month and says he has seen a lot of changes in the industry since beginning his first job with the company at only 15-years-old.

Mike initially got a job in 1965 as his father worked for the company, which at the time was called Farmers Fertiliser before being purchased by the Ravensdown co-operative.

"Changing from a corporate to a co-operative meant the directors were farmers too, people who had first hand knowledge of the industry and were working in the best interest of farmers."

Mike moved through the ranks, starting in the dispatch department, moving through sales and management before reaching the position of regional manager, where he has been for the last 15 years.

To me, farming is the most important industry to New Zealand and it has been an exciting journey moving through Ravensdown and working with and for farmers.

Mike Davey

Some of the biggest changes Mike says he has seen in the industry were in the 1970s and 1980s. "In the 70s fertiliser moved from powder to granules, which was a vast improvement in accuracy as the granules could be effectively distributed on farms." Mike adds the addition of subsidies to fertiliser in the 1980s also created a buzz in the industry, "we just couldn't make enough of the stuff".

As technology advances so does Ravensdown says Mike, "we are currently a partner with M P I in developing technology for aircraft to apply fertiliser more accurately , and at different rates , thus allowing more accuracy in where fertiliser is applied and placement of nutrients in tune with soil requirements."

Through these kinds of technology we can now develop detailed plans for individual farms and log them into our planes to distribute them.

Mike Davey

While technological advances have been exciting for him, Mike says getting involved in the community through his connection with Ravensdown have been the real highlight.

Mike has been on the Taranaki Regional Council for 12 years, "I was approached by a group of local farmers to stand for a place on the council as they wanted some rural feet under the table". Mike has also been on the board of the Taranaki Electricity Trust for 9 years, "giving back to the community is so rewarding and the Trust really does a huge amount of good in the region".