New Zealand sheep milker recognised

The award, regarded as a prestigious badge of honour by the agribusiness industry, recognises agriculture's most innovative young professionals from Australia and New Zealand.

It was launched in 2014 in memory of Australian beef industry leader Zanda McDonald, who died aged 41 after an accident at his Queensland property in 2013.

Mr Macdonald is the business manager for Spring Sheep Milk Co, New Zealand, where 3500 sheep are milked on the north island.

Spring Sheep began as an alternative to other forms of dairy in the market, but soon the health benefits and digestibility of sheep’s milk became known and grew the company.

As part of Mr Macdonald’s win, he is currently touring Australia, visiting agricultural businesses and identifying key trends in the supply chain.

He said as an outsider looking into Australia’s sector, the industry was well connected to its consumers in some areas, however other sectors involving livestock production had opportunity to add further value.

“In our business, whatever the customer wants is usually the best way to go,” he said.

But he said an example of an Australian farming business that was offering a transparent operation was Te Mania Angus, Hexham, who he visited on his tour.

“A lot of farmers are pushing a bit more in terms of bringing consumers and urban populations through to understand what they do a little more,” he said.

“Once we increase this and get more of a unified front, it will be much easier to push agriculture forward.”

He said this education could have helped calm the flames of live export dramas that riddled the industry earlier in the year.

He said the landscape was changing, and businesses needed to adapt.

“No longer can farmers be isolated from beyond the farm gate,” he said.

“There is a huge need to understand how and why your food is consumed, and what stands your food out against others globally.”

He said research and development had never been so important as a range of environmental and social pressures hit the industry.

He was humbled by the win and looked forward to the rest of the tour and gaining more of an insight into the Australian industry.

“I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the professionalism and high standards that Australian farming businesses offer,” he said.