The environment is the key for Taranaki farmers at the Dairy Environment Leaders' Forum (from left) Damian Roper, Belinda Price, Leanne Bailey, Kenneth Short, Cheree Hitchcock, Murray Perks, Bryce Savage, Jody McCaig and Katrina Knowles.
The environment is the key for Taranaki farmers at the Dairy Environment Leaders' Forum (from left) Damian Roper, Belinda Price, Leanne Bailey, Kenneth Short, Cheree Hitchcock, Murray Perks, Bryce Savage, Jody McCaig and Katrina Knowles.
Leading dairy farmers close to Whanganui's heart were part of an invited delegation to benefit from a session with an undeniable master of the head game.
All Blacks' mental skills maestro Gilbert Enoka shared his secrets with farmers to help them be on top of their game.
Hewas among the speakers at the fourth annual Dairy Environment Leaders' Forum in Wellington. This year's theme was Dairy leading Change - Accelerating Influence.
A hundred farmers from around the country were invited after being identified as leaders in their community.
Among them was former Waverley sharemilker Damian Roper now farming on his account near Alton in Taranaki and Belinda Price and husband Ben this year's Taranaki Share Farmer of the Year, and the Balance Farm Environment Awards for the Horizons region.
He said good vision creates discomfort for staying in the same place, and urged the farmers to set high challenges for themselves, to think clearly and do the work required to achieve them.
"We set the All Blacks the challenge of being the most dominant team in the history of world rugby. In getting the right mindset heading into the last rugby world cup we told ourselves that we were not just going to defend the world cup, but that the All Blacks were going to win it."
The forum also focused on environmental issues in the dairy sector and celebrated achievements to date - by May next year farmers will have excluded dairy cattle from all significant waterways and wetlands with nearly 25,000km of fencing.
South Taranaki farmer Belinda Price, who has attended the forum for the past four years, said it helped her gain a better awareness of the different issues facing each region.
"It's so easy to get absorbed in your own region to the point that you have no idea of what farmers are doing environmentally and what their restrictions are."
She said a key message from the forum was that farmers need to be ahead of the curve and collaborate with other agricultural industries (sheep and beef, iwi and local community to address issues before they get to the point that regulations are required.
Sports Phsychologist Gilbert Enoka has been giving tips to farmers.
"I also feel we really need to get the children outside into our environment, to show them where their food comes from and all that happens on a dairy farm. It's a lot more than just milking cows."
The call at the forum for farmers to get better at telling their stories also resonated with her.
"Dairy farmers have done some amazing work to protect the environment, in the past five years in particular. We have some truly inspirational farmers that are leading environmental initiatives across the country, but a lot of people just don't know about it. We need to unite and tell our story better."
Mrs Price and husband Ben regularly host different groups to show how a dairy farm operates.
The Dairy Environment Leaders' chairwoman, Tracy Brown, a farmer near Matamata, said the forum farmers, having addressed issues on their own farms, are now getting out into their local communities to encourage other dairy farmers to also do the right thing.
"They are leading in the new style leadership which involves collaboration and inclusiveness. They are purposeful and empowering, and stepping up around the country to inspire and influence to shape sustainable farming for the future generations, and to enhance the region they live in."
Another guest speaker was entrepreneur Theresa Gattung who recommended to the environmental farming leaders that they develop a narrative around their role as food producers, similar to stories being told by the ethical fashion sector that sourced materials and clothing from socially responsible and environmentally friendly suppliers.
