Three years ago, Quinn Morgan was a self-described city slicker, working as a personal trainer in Perth and spending hours sitting in traffic. But then, after a wedding in NZ, Covid’s arrival, and some encouragement from farming family members, Quinn ended up reluctantly taking a job in dairy farming back in NZ. Fast forward to 2022, and he’s now leading a team of eight on a Pamu dairy farm in the Taupō area, raising his young family with a rural lifestyle and progressing quickly with his new career. In this episode, Quinn shares his story about how he ended up in dairying, and the challenging but rewarding experiences he’s faced since making the move. He also talks about what he’s doing to encourage others, particularly young Māori, into the dairy sector – including his involvement in DairyNZ's recently launched Great Futures in Dairying Plan. Quinn reckons we need to be looking in new places for our future staff. He wants others from a similar background to him – urban and/or non-farming – to discover what he has about the dairy sector: the career progression opportunities, the income stability, the supportive culture, and the chance to be a steward of the land.

Chapters:
1:12 – An unexpected career move 
3:25 – Quinn’s first farming opportunity
4:51 - What Quinn loves about dairy farming
6:55 - Winning the Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer of the Year in 2021
7:45 - Are Māori values being reflected in the dairy sector?
9:57 – Quinn’s involvement in DairyNZ's Great Futures in Dairying plan
12:15 - Looking in new places for our staff
13:51 - Attracting young Māori to farming
15:30 - Future goals, and advice for other new entrants
17:43 - Mentoring younger farmers
21:39 - Recruiting and retaining staff
24:39 - Reflecting on his first few years in the dairy sector 
25:33 – Getting more rangatahi to enter awards

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]

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