Kerry and his wife, Aimee, sharemilk over two properties in Canterbury - 580 cows on their 146ha home farm just out of Leeston, and another 440 cows on a 129ha property 50km away in Lowcliffe.
"All the farms I have worked on have supplied Fonterra. I have an enormous sense of pride in the Co-op, and what it stands for. It sets the benchmark for our industry, and I wouldn't be farming if it wasn't for Fonterra and what it means for New Zealand farmers and New Zealand as a whole. Every time I see a tanker on the road or visit our local Farm Source store it brings a smile to my face," Kerry says.
"Kerry literally waves at every tanker driver on the road," says Aimee. Kerry grew up on a sheep and beef farm near Whakatane, but staying on wasn't realistic.
"Dad said he couldn't pay me enough and there wasn't an option of farm succession. He told me to do an automotive course to have a trade under my belt even though I knew it wasn't what I wanted to do. He asked me what I wanted, and I said I wanted to own a farm." Realising that dairying was the best pathway to achieve that dream, Kerry moved to the South Island in 2001 "with two pairs of gumboots, some overalls and a $5,000 car."
"I saw there was a true career path - if I put my head down and took in everything that I could, one day I would dig that fence post on my own land." Kerry started off at the bottom rung, working as a farm assistant on a few different farms. During that time, he met Aimee, who was studying at Otago.
"During her uni holidays Aimee worked at a café where I used to buy my milk and lunch. It took me a bit to pluck up the courage to ask for her number so while buying my sixth bottle of milk for the week I finally asked her!" he says.
A dairy farmer's daughter, Aimee told everyone at age 15 that there was no way she would be a farmer and went on to gain a Bachelor in Fashion Design.
"Then I realised I was doing the wrong thing and that I was actually pretty passionate about farming and it came naturally to me. I love the life that comes with farming, the options, the growth it gives you and your family and the things we've learnt," she says.
The couple started contract milking on Aimee's parents' farm in Waimate, and continued off and on for the next five seasons. But the urge to progress remained, so four years ago Kerry and Aimee moved into a sharemilking role on the farm they are currently at. One thing the couple highlights as crucial to their career in dairying is not being afraid to ask for help.
"We have learnt a lot during our time but we never pretend that we know everything. That's why the expert support we get from the Co-op is so great. We have an awesome relationship with our Sustainable Dairying Advisor, Sean Spencer. He is like a mate to us and he's always on hand if we have any questions or issues we need advice on," Kerry says.
"I think calling on that help is something some farmers could do more of. Yes, compliance and regulation can be hard, but Fonterra has some excellent resources and people that can help ease that burden. We know that the requirements on us are for good reasons and Fonterra isn't just putting things in place just to make our lives harder. Whether you are a farmer or the CEO, we are all part of the same team and we all want the same thing. It's important that Fonterra is here to let us farmers do what we do best - make top quality milk and share it around the world."
Kerry and Aimee are proud to be at Te Tihi level under The Co-operative Difference programme. "Aimee's parents were at Te Tihi and we are too. We strive to be in the top 5% of everything we do, and the 'look' of our farm is important to us and our team, who share the pride we have for the industry. I really enjoy showing people that dairy farms aren't just cow shit and mess. Being quite close to Leeston, we often have people jogging past who comment on how tidy the farm is, even down to our mowed lawns and the planting around the cow shed," says Kerry.
That work hasn't gone noticed by just the locals as well. Kerry and Aimee finished runners-up in the Share Farmer of the Year category at the 2022 Canterbury/North Otago Dairy Industry Awards, only losing out to eventual national winner Will Green. This year Kerry is also part of the judging team for the region's Dairy Manager of the Year award.
Kerry and Aimee identify a work/life balance as a big aspect of their business, both for themselves and their employees.
"We want to be in a position to give all our children opportunities for their future. Having the time to enjoy life outside of the farm and spend time with family and friends is really important to us," says Kerry Burt.
To learn more about the The Co-operative Difference here.