North Waikato TSR Dilbir Singh chats to us about community connections, technical advice, and the efficiency journey.
The Co-Op’s Technical Sales Representatives (TSRs) are experts in their fields and their regions, helping local farmers with technical farming advice and tailored solutions for each farm. We talk to Taupiri TSR Dilbir Singh about his role in helping farmers get the most out of their farming businesses.
I’m Hamilton-born and bred and grew up farming. My family are coming up fifth-generation farmers. I studied marketing and communication, and then spent a decade working in the automotive trade here and with BMW in Australia.
I came back to New Zealand about nine years ago, bought a new house across the road from the family farm, intending to work on it, but ended up being offered a position at Ford and Mazda. In 2021, a role then came up at Fonterra as Relationship Advisor for the MyMilk initiative that gave farmers the ability to supply milk to the Co-Op for up to five seasons without having to buy shares in Fonterra, and I managed that portfolio for the North Island.
Then two years ago, the Technical Sales Representative role came up at Farm Source Taupiri, which was a perfect fit for me, as it means I get the best of both worlds. I can be on-farm most mornings, either feeding out, shifting stock or milking before I head into work to support 200-plus farms in the area.
I love the interaction I have with fellow farmers, sharing knowledge and providing support to help make their farming businesses a success. Farm Source Taupiri is my local store, and has been for years. I have known many of the farmers in my area for a long time, either through the rugby club, farming, extended family, friends, or school connections. The role allows me the opportunity to get to know my farmers professionally, as well as personally.
Living and farming locally, I know when it’s dry, when it’s wet, and when things are tough. I know when it’s a good time to approach my farmers and when it’s not so good, like when they are busy with calving, etc, but I’m always open to having a chat about anything, regardless of the season. If I’m thinking it, invariably they’re thinking it. Some farmers like to have a lot of detail, which helps my growth and learning. Other farmers are happy with what they have always done, and my job is to add small tweaks around pasture, cropping and animal nutrition to maximise milk production, especially through the summer we just had.
I think that farmers like having someone to talk to who is a farmer as well. We’ll chat about what works for their system. It’s not dictating to farmers what they can and can’t use. It’s providing products, tools and solutions that help them make better business decisions, to get the most value from their milk. Like many dairy farmers around the world, we’re on an efficiency journey, be it genetics through our breeding, grass for milk production or on-farm sustainability, so we can be Good Together.
Dairy farms produce a sought-after product, with demand worldwide. I think we’ve got a great responsibility to make sure that we do our best for our farmers as well as our Co-Op.
For local knowledge and technical product advice, book a visit with your local Farm Source TSR.