Ōmāpere Taraire E & Rangihamama X3A Trust is converting underutilised Northland land to run a 500 cow dairy operation with its joint venture partner Te Tumu Paeroa.
The collaboration will offer local employment, and allow the trusts to provide academic scholarships, and potential training opportunities in farm operations and governance.
Trust Chairman, Sonny Tau, says that the joint venture will fulfill the Trusts’ vision of land that sustains its people.
“It has taken several years of hard work to develop this conversion from concept to implementation. It has required vision, refocusing and tapping into expert knowledge to get us this far. We are well pleased to have Te Tumu Paeroa as our joint venture partner who have worked collaboratively to make this initiative happen,” says Sonny.
Jamie Tuuta, Chief Executive Officer of Te Tumu Paeroa, says that this project truly ties in with Te Tumu Paeroa’s vision of mobilising Māori land.
“This project is positive for all of Te Tai Tokerau (the Northland region), and will provide a model for other commercial based Māori land ventures. We have invested equity because this project is directly aligned with what we do – managing Māori land so that it delivers benefits to land owners, and future generations. The venture shows what can be achieved with collaboration and commitment to the long term.”
On 2 December the land block was blessed and the documentation establishing the joint venture was signed. Kaumatua and long term owner, Wati Erueti, says that the day was a true celebration for all ORT shareholders.
The farm is expected to be operational as a dairy unit by 1 March 2014.
Joint venture facts:
- Ōmāpere
Tairaire E & Rangihamama X3A Trust is entrusted with the care of two land
blocks with a total of 1991 hectares. Each block is an amalgamation of smaller
whānau holdings, and the two blocks are an amalgamation because they are the
same hapu. The combined blocks have over 3000 shareholders.
- The
dairy venture will farm 500 cows on 278 effective hectares.
- Previous
land use includes forestry maize cropping and running sheep and beef
activities.
- Te Tumu Paeroa is the organisation that supports the Māori Trustee, Jamie Tuuta, to carry out his duties and functions. The Maori Trustee administers approximately 100,000 hectares of Maori land for approximately 2000 Maori land entities with 95,000 beneficial owners.
