10 december 2017

open gates

Tracy & Wynn's Farm | Waikato

From the farmers

Hi, we’re Wynn and Tracy and we own Tiroroa farm near Matamata, a 330 hectare property milking 685 cows. Wynn grew up on this property and converted the farm from sheep and beef to dairy in 1994.

In 2004 the family bought the neighbouring sheep and beef farm and also converted that to a dairy business.

We have four children aged between 12 and 17 and as a family we enjoy mountain biking, the bush and time relaxing on holiday in Northland, where Tracy is originally from. We are both very active in community and agriculture organisations.

Wynn is a Fonterra Networker, a LIC Shareholder Councillor and a judge in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards while Tracy is a member of the Dairy Industry Strategy Working Group, Chair of the Dairy Environment Leaders’ Forum and was a finalist in the 2017 Westpac Women of Influence Awards. We are also both involved in coaching local rugby and hockey teams.

Our Farm and Environmental Story

Tiroroa means ‘extensive view’ or ‘view to the future’ and that’s certainly how we have approached our environmental work on the farm.

Our aim is to run an economically and environmentally sustainable dairy farming business, maximising production while minimising footprint, and we were recognised at the 2010 Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards where we won the Supreme Award. Trees have been planted and waterways fenced off for more than 20 years – before it was required because it simply seemed the ‘right thing to do’.

We have about 14 wetlands on the farm and 14 kilometres of waterways in total. There is also a reserve of native bush which includes some rare native species.