Stephanie Gudgeon

Farmer, wife and a busy mum of four, Stephanie is inspired though her DairyNZ role, providing hands-on information and technical support to farmers.

“I live and breathe rural life and love raising our family on-farm. I’m aware that farmers are dealing with constantly changing horizons, through regulation, policy and a volatile economic environment. They can’t always pivot nor keep up with multitude of responsibilities.

“That’s why I get so much out of being part of DairyNZ’s regional teams. We’re all working hard, pulling resources together so farmers can make good decisions and get science-based solutions that work on-farm.

“The rural professionals (RPs) we work with also help farmers think about what tools and innovations to focus on. Especially around technology, finance, animal care and on-farm efficiency. Our role is to help farmers figure out what is viable for their system and to keep RPs informed, so they are adding value.”

Stephanie’s particularly passionate about profitability and increasing homegrown feed.

“It’s inspiring, helping farmers to take control of their farm system costs to pull together the bigger picture around business viability. It’s about recognising that a key metric to achieving profitability is learning the ancient art of pasture management. Optimising profit and pasture ensures long-term sector success.

When she’s got a few minutes to spare, Stephanie likes to run to keep fit and clear out the cobwebs.

“I once went for a run on a farm I’d finished visiting, but got stuck behind the cows. After running through paddocks and jumping fences, I had very dirty shoes afterwards! Worth the views though!”

• Find out more about DairyNZ’s other Upper North Island regional team members.
• Check out our nationwide regional teams.