Beef farmer and Restore Native founder Adam Thompson takes on The Country Fast Five

Adam Thompson runs a small beef farm in Cambridge and is the founder of Restore Native.

New Zealanders often hear about farmers being the backbone of the country but do we really know what makes the primary industries tick?

With that in mind, The Country’s Kem Ormond has compiled a list of questions for everyday Kiwis in agriculture.

This week it’s the turn of Adam Thompson, who runs a small beef farm in Cambridge.

He is also the man behind the nursery Restore Native Limited, where he grows native trees for farmers.

If you would like to be part of The Country Fast Five series, you can get in touch with Kem at kem.ormond@nzme.co.nz. You can also fill out the form here.

Adam Thompson

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Like most people who are farming and involved with primary industries, my work and recreation are intertwined.

On the weekend you’ll find me on the farm, with the kids in the tractor; feeding out or taking care of other tasks and enjoying them as a family.

If not on the farm I’ll be in the bush, mainly doing pest control to help our forests thrive.

What would you like non-farmers to know about your role/industry?

We work alongside farmers to help them take practical steps to improve their environmental footprint.

Most farmers out there are committed to retiring land from farming around waterways and on erosion-prone hillsides.

These farmers are doing massive positive things for the world.

They’re creating jobs/export revenue/paying taxes etc on their productive land and they’re actively promoting biodiversity, clean water etc on their non-productive land by planting native trees.

That’s farmers spending their own money to make the country and the world at large a better place.

What is the moment/memory that makes you most proud to be a farmer?

Anyone who has grown up on the farm has an intrinsic link to the land.

Whether you’re a multi-generational farm owner or whether you’re simply someone who loves the challenging and rewarding career that it brings, I think that runs very deep in you.

So for me, the proudest memory I have on the farm is of recent times when I have been out moving cattle and my children have been there with me, actively helping, being outdoors and appreciating the paradise of the country we live in.

This reminds me of where I was 30 years ago doing the same thing with my parents.

What’s the biggest opportunity for New Zealand’s primary industries?

I think the honest, down-home Kiwi attitude provides a wonderful opportunity for our primary industries.

In a world where more measurement and transparency around consumer products is demanded, the fact that we’re a genuine culture that wants to go out and do the right thing is going to hold some sway for those who want ethically produced food.

We’re seeing it with the swing away from synthetic beef for example; there is a large sector of wealthy people overseas who value an ethically produced product from a wonderful environment.

The challenge around that is being able to connect into those markets and position ourselves well against the marketing might of others.

What does our environment mean to you?

To me, our environment is everything in farming.

It’s what gets us out of bed in the morning, the fresh air and the pride we have in the land we’re farming.

It’s also about the people in that environment, those around us who share our culture of doing what’s right and improving where we are.

The pride in our farming environment is what has led me to create our business to break down the barriers for farmers to take practical steps on-farm to improve biodiversity, water quality and pride in their land.

If you would like to be part of The Country Fast Five series send us your details here.