Greg Sheppard - Farm Management Consultant & Director
Personal Statement
During the past 25 years I have enjoyed the challenge of working with farmers to turn their visions into reality and to stimulate new targets to achieve.
I enjoy assisting in the development and prosperity of our local farming community and I see my role as working with individual farm business owners and our wider farming community in a way which leads to sustainable businesses growth culminating in the realisation of individuals goals.
I also look for opportunities to further develop my skills and relationships in the wider rural servicing sector as a means of adding greater value to the service I provide to clients. I firmly believe that where there are challenges there are always rewards.
Key Skills
- The ability to work closely with farmers to identify their personal and business aspirations.
- An ability to facilitate group discussions ensuring everyone contributes by sharing their experiences and knowledge providing new learning for all involved
- The ability to relate to and communicate well with both farmers and professionals servicing the agricultural industry.
- Technical expertise in sheep, beef and dairy farming providing a high level of understanding of New Zealand’s farm business systems.
- Physical and financial analysis of farm businesses enabling the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
- Analysis of investment opportunities and evaluation of the economic benefits and risks to the business.
- A sound understanding of equity partnership operations with experience in facilitating their establishment and in providing independent review of the operation.
- Effective time management and self-organisation.
Key Achievements
- Establishment of a high value client base whereby my reputation as a consultant has grown in the community leading to many client referrals, development of on-farm research projects and a high level of personal satisfaction.
- Becoming acreditied by MPI to provide Advisory Services to farmers affected by the Kaikoura Earthquake and M-Bovis outbreak.
- Working with Horizons Regional Council in the development and delivery of their Whole Farm Plan (part of the councils Sustainable Land Use Initiative)
- Facilitation of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Tasman, Marlborough and Taranaki Farming For Profit Programmes.
- Previous facilitator of various Beef + Lamb New Zealand Monitor Farm programmes.
- Co-writing a research paper on Wana Cocksfoot and Bull Beef Production on hill country with a respected scientist from AgResearch.
- In conjunction with the Taranaki Regional Council, successfully establishing two Hill Country Sustainable Land Management groups (1999).
- Sharing the joy as clients realise their personal and business goals.
- Establishment of Profit Check, an accounts analysis tool dedicated to providing farmers with an effective analysis of their financial and productive performance highlighting opportunities for improved performance.
- Project management of the SFF project on Lamb Survival.
Professional Membership
- Member of the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Managers
- Member of the New Zealand Grasslands Association
Academic
- Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Massey University 1993
Greg Sheppard
PO Box 2433, Stoke, Nelson 7041
Ph: (03) 544 8505
Mobile: 0274 349 340
Email: mailto:greg@sheppardagriculture.co.nz