INTEREST
A continuous sense of learning and a desire to make a difference
After a lifetime working in countless different facets of the agricultural sector including not-for-profit, central, and local government, co-operatives and commercial business, Jessie Chan is excited about her new role as Chair of Ruralco. WORDS & IMAGES BY ANNIE STUDHOLME
It’s been a long, winding journey for the mum of two young sons, Adam, 7, and Noah, 2, who farms in partnership with her business-partner Hayden Dorman on a 420-hectare property at Dorie in Mid-Canterbury, milking 900 cows. Jessie’s the first to admit that it’s not the path she imagined for herself when she had her first taste of the agricultural sector as a 17-year-old working for the Dairy Research 8
RE AL FARM E R
Institute, now Fonterra Research Institute. But it’s her continuous sense of learning, driven by an innate sense of curiosity, together with a passion for making a meaningful contribution to rural communities, that continues to empower her. Jessie grew up in Palmerston North, one of four children. Raised by her father, although she did not grow up on a farm, she developed a love of agriculture and the primary sector. Her father also instilled the importance of education. Jessie left school at 16 but was determined to go to university. “I had always had an interest in science, in particular biological science.” Having worked as a Lab Technician at the Dairy Research Institute working in product development, Jessie put herself through university, completing an Honours degree from Massey University in Animal Science Majoring in Ruminant Nutrition.
Fresh out of university, Jessie worked as a Technical Advisor for the Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) doing live animal export and imports, followed by stints with Meat and Wool New Zealand [now Beef & Lamb New Zealand] as a Research and Development Portfolio Manager, and as a Dairy Policy Analyst for Federated Farmers, amongst other roles. Jessie gained invaluable skills and exposure across all these roles, but especially through her time with Federated Farmers. “I learnt a lot about farming, and I mixed with farmers from all around the country. It taught me a lot about communicating clearly, and keeping it simple, being concise and effective. And how to work with people to get a win-win.” It was while Jessie was provincial president of the Wellington Young Farmers’ Club that she met Hayden Dorman, who was then Chairman of Tasman Young Farmers. It proved to be the turning point in her career taking her back to grassroots. Embarking on a new journey together, they decided to move south to Canterbury and take up a lower-order share-milker position at Dorie, on the south side of the Rakaia River. Coming from a corporate background, it was Jessie’s first exposure to rural life. Playing to each other’s strengths, Hayden was hands-on with the cows, leaving Jessie to focus on the accounts, HR, compliance, environmental issues, and governance. “He’s the cowman. And he’s good at it,” says Jessie. “I self-confess, I don’t milk cows, because I am not very good at it.” Working their way up from the bottom, growing their equity, skills, and knowledge they took the next step, purchasing 800 cows. After two years of herd ownership, the farm was sold to Italian buyers and they were offered the chance to lease. “It works really well. We run it as if it were our own,” says Jessie. Before the sale, the farm was run as two units carrying 1,700 cows. In a bid to future-proof themselves against future downturns and to lower their farming footprint, they opted to move to a self-contained system including split calving and winter milking, reducing numbers to 900 pedigree Holstein Friesian and some pedigree Jersey cows. They also grow 70 hectares of crop to feed their cows, drystock and young stock. While continuing to run the farm in partnership with Hayden, Jessie explored opportunities where she could give back to
