Perrin Ag has welcomed former Halter account executive and DairyNZ consulting officer Michael Booth to its team, bolstering its agri-tech and dairy systems expertise as more farmers invest in automation to help drive efficiency on farm.
While farmers have traditionally been cautious about adopting new technology, Mike believes mindsets are shifting as they realise its value in tackling challenges and doing things more efficiently.
“For a long time, tech uptake by farmers has lagged and there has been a reluctance or apprehension around its adoption due to things like confidence in its reliability and cost,” says Mike. “Now, farmers are starting to see the benefits and the tide is turning.
“The struggle to find reliable, good quality labour has been a catalyst for tech uptake. Dairy farmers are facing competition from other industries for staff, prompting them to embrace automation and technology to streamline operations, reduce work hours, and enhance job appeal.”
The 2023 Technology and Workplace Practices Survey carried out by DairyNZ revealed that dairy farmers are investing in more technology to help with automation in the dairy shed and herd management. While automation investments remain a focus for farmers, wearables are on the rise.
Mike worked for Halter during the early start-up phase of the business when it grew from 20 farms to 200 farms in just two years, which reinforces the trend identified by DairyNZ’s research.
“Emerging technology has the potential to transform New Zealand dairying by helping farmers more easily meet targets and carry out the compliance reporting. As rural professionals, we can offer an impartial view on what the different tech options can offer, without the sales pitch. The key is helping farmers choose the right solution for their unique farm system and demonstrating its potential return on investment.”
Mike’s extended family are dairy farmers. He started his career with DairyNZ as a consulting officer where he ran discussion groups and managed farm supervision.
He left DairyNZ to travel the world but within a few months Covid hit, the borders closed, and Mike and his wife Nikita returned home. Back in New Zealand, he took up a role managing DairyNZ’s monitor farms on the Hauraki Plains before joining Halter.
“I learned so much during my time with DairyNZ. Managing the discussion groups, we were always learning from experts in the industry and my time working on the monitor farms at Hauraki really cemented my background in farm systems,” says Mike.
“I’m somebody who likes to get stuck in and do the work. Halter was still in start-up phase when I was there. I was doing everything from bringing on new customers to physically fitting collars to cows and helping farmers navigate the system for the best results on their farm. It was an exciting time for the company!”
Mike left Halter in April last year and he and Nikita travelled to finish their OE. They returned recently to live in Papamoa and Mike took up the role with Perrin Ag.
“I’m not someone who likes to sit still and I like to be continually learning. I saw an opportunity with Perrin Ag. As a business their ethos is about continuous improvement and learning. There are always new and better ways of doing things and we need to be at the forefront of that for our clients,” says Mike.
Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time near the beach, surfing, skiing, wakeboarding, and undertaking renovation projects. He and Nikita are also launching a storage business.
