This year has been one of unprecedented success for Ben Purua, with the 29-year-old named the 2024 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year at the region’s New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in March. He was back in the spotlight in May as the winner of the 2024 Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer Award for Dairy. Ben, who is of Tainui descent, is the farm manager at Waimakariri Lands Ltd near Tirau in the Waikato region, working on Jack and Tiz Scheres’ and Chap and Ashleigh Zwiers’ 187-hectare property, milking 540 cows.
Farming has transformed Ben’s life. He grew up in Pukekohe, living around gangs in a dysfunctional and impoverished environment, which eventually led to time in Waikeria Prison. It was while he was in prison that an opportunity came up to work on the prison farms. This is where his passion for farming started, laying the groundwork for all that has followed.
Since starting in the dairy industry as a farm assistant in 2016, he has progressed to farm manager – and is now acknowledged as one of the country’s very best. Ben says when he looks back on his life, he never expected to be where he is now, winning awards as a successful dairy farmer. “It has been huge, especially coming from a background like mine – I was expected to fail. This recognition is huge not just for me and my family but also for my iwi, Tainui and my hapu, Ngati Amaru.”
“I want young people coming out of school – especially the ones who are more practical, hands-on learners – to know about farming as an option.”
“It has been my dream over the past five or six years to set something up to help other whanau as well. It is a really big part of it for me.” That dream is coming closer for Ben and wife Nikki, with a lot of people now supporting that vision, thanks to the profile Ben has gained from the awards.
At the Ahuwhenua Awards, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon asked the finalists where they see themselves headed in the next five to ten years. “I said to him that I see myself running a farm that’s going to be helping Maori families out of struggle and helping them to build their foundation.”
Ben is grateful for the support he received from the farm owners at Waimakariri Lands Ltd, who he says have encouraged his growth and development and fully backed his involvement in the awards. “It is hard to find a boss like that who will support you and push you at the same time.”
As a council member of the Food and Fibre Youth Network, Ben is working to raise awareness of the value of dairy farm careers. “I want young people coming out of school – especially the ones who are more practical, hands-on learners – to know about farming as an option. It is such a cool choice, and every day is different.”
In February, Ben and Nikki launched a clothing line called ‘Kamu to Pamu’ (‘Calm Your Farm’) as a vehicle to help boost positivity and well-being in the rural sector. Ben says the response to that has been humbling, with the label growing from strength to strength. Ben also uses his profile ‘FarmUpNz’ to share his life and journey on social media.
© Waterford Press Ltd 2024 – Independent Print Media New Zealand
