Dairy farmer Tor Pedersen isn’t waiting for regulations to tell him how to be a better farmer.
Tor Pedersen’s property
The 27-year-old went as far as relocating the main race to improve stream health and help freshwater mussels and koura thrive on the family farm.
His family has been farming 300 hectares on Broomore Farm in Waitetuna Valley Road near Raglan since 1967, so he feels a sense of responsibility as the agricultural sector awaits clarity of Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change One.
“Everything we do comes back to the water,” he said after he was named Waikato Farm Environment Awards supreme winner this month.
Pedersen has also fenced waterways to keep stock out and engaged in riparian planting to protect and enhance the delicate ecosystem.
Broomore Farm has an estimated four kilometres of major waterways, plus their tributaries.
“We need to keep the water as clean as we can. We have got so many waterways on the farm; we are just trying to look after them.”
Pedersen’s work also won him a water protection award as it aligns with Plan Change One’s goal of improving freshwater quality in the region.
“I was really happy with the water protection award,” Pedersen said.
He is not worrying about the coming regulations.
“It is what it is,” he said. “We can’t do much about it. We have just got to work with it. All we are trying to do is future proof the farm so that we can are able to keep on farming into the future.”
To Pedersen also won a biodiversity award, livestock farm award, and a sustainability and stewardship award.
Pedersen was raised on the farm and educated at Te Uku Primary School, Maeroa Intermediate School in Hamilton and St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton.
Pedersen worked for a brief time as a mechanic before returning to farming. He has been involved in the 300-hectare dairy operation since 2018 and began contract milking in 2022. The farm runs 250 dairy cows on 100 hectares, with an additional 50 hectares used as a support block. The remaining land is a mix of exotic and native trees, including significant areas of untouched or regenerating native bush.
Land restoration has been a priority, with vulnerable areas retired and more than 30,000 trees planted in five years.
Animal welfare is a top priority, with animal breeds carefully matched to the farm’s challenging topography. This is supported by a herd-breeding policy focused on animal health and liveweight.
Farm Environment Award judges said the Pedersen’s approach to farming was inspiring. They commended his deep understanding of livestock movement and his approach to adapting infrastructure and forest and land management practices to improve waterway protection.
Judges recognised his strong understanding of cow health and production metrics, as well as his effective use of industry tools to guide decision-making. They were particularly impressed by his appreciation for his family and wider network, recognising his parents’ role in expanding his knowledge and enhancing farm management.
Dairy farmer Tor Pedersen, 27, wants to do the right thing for the environment on the family dairy farm.
