New Zealand farmers may be faced with increasing business challenges but at least one sector has their back when it comes to collaborating for the greater good of pastoral agriculture in this country.

After 14 years in the seed industry, Barenbrug’s outgoing managing director Michael Hales said he’s been impressed by how well all those involved in the forage value chain work together to add value to NZ farming.

As well as leading one of the country’s best-known seed companies for the past seven years, Hales has also been closely involved with the NZ Plant Breeding and Research Association, the national Grain and Seed Trading Association and the NZ Seed Authority.

“In those situations, which often entail working with different external groups like Federated Farmers and regulators at MPI and Asure Quality, you get to see how well industry participants collaborate for the overall good of the NZ farmer.  

“It’s really useful to sit down and build relationships with people from across different areas of the pastoral industry as a whole, instead of just focussing on our own role as plant breeders and suppliers of proprietary seed. We all have a common interest in helping farmers succeed.”

He said this year’s launch of the new world-class Seed Certification Information System is a good example of what can be achieved with such an approach.

Hales first joined Barenbrug NZ in 2010 as marketing manager, following senior roles with Syngenta and Rabobank.

His time with the company has coincided with rapid advances in science and technology available to plant breeders, including technologies which have enabled faster, more accurate identification of promising new pastures and endophytes.

There have also been important advances in the way seed is managed before it reaches the farm, he said.

“There’s much more emphasis now on just-in-time delivery, so that seed is held in ideal conditions until it is required for sowing on farm. That’s led to us investing a new facility in the North Island to put us closer and make us more responsive to our customers and farmers in autumn.”

Product-wise, he said the launch of Shogun hybrid ryegrass in 2012 is one of the highlights of his time with Barenbrug, not only because it rapidly became such a commercial success but also because it significantly grew the NZ hybrid ryegrass segment.

As for farming itself, “it’s a difficult business, and I don’t think the rest of the country realises the value that farmers and farming bring to our economy.”

But the ability to produce sustainable, high quality, nutritious human food remains as important as ever despite regulatory challenges and the vagaries of consumer trends.   

“We should focus on what we’re good at; celebrate what we’re good at, and continue to improve the way we do things without getting side-tracked by things that distract us from what we are good at.”

Hales has now been appointed managing director of Barenbrug UK, and will be moving to Bury St Edmunds in October.

He’s looking forward to the challenge of working in a completely different agricultural economy, and said much of his initial focus will be learning about the market and the people.

Jaime Heywood has been appointed as his successor at Barenbrug NZ, and comes to the job after 15 years in the Barenbrug executive team. Heywood has held key roles, including finance director and, since 2020, finance and operations director.