We’re a group of 4 drystock farm businesses based in Te Akau - the north-west Waikato
Richard joins the Our farms group as Chair after a successful career in the Agribusiness sector both Internationally and in New Zealand.
This comprised of 20 years in the NZ Meat Industry located in London and the USA marketing NZ Lamb, Venison and Beef. For 10 years Richard was CEO of the NZ & Aus lamb company building the business 16x during his tenure. Following his return to NZ Richard was MD of the Cedenco Foods Group which was then a publicly listed company. His 10 years with Cedenco involved taking the company private, growing its core business 7x, purchasing bolt on synergistic companies and finally leading the company through a successful trade sale.
Looking for new opportunities Richard joined Ziwi, a Innovative premium manufacturer of NZ Petfood in a turnaround role as a Exec director/Shareholder. During the next 8 years Richard grew the Ziwi team internationally, to include offices in the US, the UK and China, rebranded, launched new formulations and products, built and expanded its manufacturing base and finally led the business through a very successful PE sale.
Post sale Richard (not wanting to sit still..) purchased a 1250 Ha Beef and Sheep breeding and finishing farm in the West Waikato with an objective to take the farm into the top 5% of NZ Quality meat producers.
Fiona and Jon are third generation farmers in Waingaro, they have dedicated their careers to merging agriculture, business, and technology to drive smarter decision-making in the industry.
Both started as agricultural consultants before expanding into IT, database development, and financial analysis in the UK. Jon later became Managing Director and a shareholder of iFarm NZ, providing livestock market insights. He now serves as Vice Chair of the Beef & Lamb Mid-Northern North Island Farmer Council, where he supports and advocates for farmers. Fiona has built a strong career in business analysis, working with the District Health Board and Fonterra before shifting her focus to helping small businesses improve systems and decision-making.
Passionate about innovation, they are at the forefront of integrating technology to enhance both profitability and sustainability in hill country farming. Their early adoption of Halter for system grazing on hills, efforts to protect sensitive areas, and involvement in a research project on their property are all aimed at driving continuous improvements on farm and within the industry.
With their combined expertise in agriculture, data, and strategy, Jon and Fiona are passionate about solving problems for their own farming business, using their experience to help others within the industry adapt, innovate, and thrive.
James and Sarah gained valuable experience working on farms in Australia and the UK before settling on James' family farm in Waimai Valley, where he is third generation.
As one of the younger farmers in the group (he is going to be treading this dirt for a few years yet!) he is focused on future-proofing the land, ensuring that farming practices align with the natural environment. His approach emphasises matching land use to animal class, integrating native planting projects, and actively contributing as a committee member of the local catchment group.
Beyond farming, Sarah has a strong entrepreneurial and technological background. After successfully building and selling a niche marquee company, she retrained into software development, earning postgraduate certifications in IoT (Internet of Things) and Human Potential for the Digital Economy.
Sarah operates her own SaaS business outside of farming, alongside running a website and software development house. She leads the Our Farms tech team, embracing the exciting opportunity to bring both her worlds together by developing innovative digital solutions for farmers.
Alastair and Ann have dedicated their lives to farming, building Reeves Farms into a successful and forward-thinking operation since 1996.
Their Waimai Romney Stud breeding program focuses on low-input sheep with strong FE tolerance, parasite resistance, growth, and fertility. Meanwhile, their terminal line prioritises growth, survival, and high intramuscular fat (IMF) for superior meat quality.
Alastair and Ann were early adopters of Firstlight Wagyu, with Alastair serving on the board for several years. Beyond farming, Annie is also a school teacher, bringing her expertise in education to our learning modules.
Their involvement with Our Farms is driven by a passion for sharing their farming story—not just with customers, but with the wider community. Guided by the belief that "We are only borrowing the land of our children," they prioritise sustainability and responsible decision-making.
In recognition of their commitment to environmental stewardship and innovation, Reeves Farms was named the Regional Supreme Winner for the 2024 Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards.