Waitetuna Valley farmer Tor Pedersen is farming for the future and it’s this outlook that earned him Regional Supreme Winner at the recent Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
“We want sustainable businesses that we can carry on for future generations. We’re not farming for today; we’re farming for the next generation. Obviously, businesses have to make money, but we’ve got to look after the environment, so we can continue being able to farm into the future,” he says.
Tor works on the farm his grandfather bought in 1967 after making the move from his own parents’ farm in Whatawhata to Waitetuna Valley. Now owned by Tor’s parents Tony and Shona Pedersen, Tor has been involved in Broomore Farm’s 300ha dairy operation since 2018 and began contract milking in 2022.
“I’m a motorbike mechanic by trade. I went and did something else to get some other life experiences before I come back to the farm. I always wanted to farm, but at the same time, I grew up riding motorbikes, racing motorbikes, and I’ve always been interested in mechanics.”
It’s a skill Tor has put to good use on the farm, converting the original cow shed into a workshop.
“I’m always fixing stuff. It’s not like we’re a five-minute drive to town, so when something breaks, I can fix it and we can carry on with our life. In any business, the more downtime you can prevent, the better.”
Broomore runs 250 dairy cows on 100ha, with an additional 50ha used as a support block. The remaining land is a mix of exotic and native trees, including significant areas of virgin or regenerating native bush.
Continuing his family’s dedication to balancing environmental stewardship with profitability, Tor is committed to protecting and enhancing waterways through fencing and riparian planting.
Land restoration has also been a priority, with areas vulnerable to slips retired and more than 30,000 trees planted in the past five years.
“A little goes a long way and it’s just continuing that cycle. Every year, you just do a bit more and tick that off the list.”
Tor’s ‘small steps’ had the judges impressed, pointing to his deep understanding of livestock movement and his proactive approach to adapting infrastructure, and forest and land management practices to improve waterway protection. Animal welfare is a top priority, with animal breeds carefully matched to the farm’s challenging landscape.
Enhancing water quality is important to Tor; he knows the water quality on the property is good because the freshwater mussels and koura are thriving.
“The Waitetuna runs directly below this house and into the harbour. We’re doing our part to make sure the water is clean so we’ve got a clean ocean for people to go kayaking, boating, fishing, surfing, and whatever they want to do,” he says.
Gaining insight from the expert judges was the incentive for Tor to enter the awards; the win was just an added bonus.
“I wasn’t expecting to come away with anything. Everyone who entered is farming to a very high calibre. I entered for the feedback I could get from the different judges. At the end of the day, we all want a future in farming.”
Tor also won the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award, DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award, NZFET Biodiversity Award and the Waikato Regional Council Water Protection Award.
by Janine Jackson
