October 2, 2025 • 6 mins
We discuss farm succession planning with today’s panel, the 2024 Young Farmer of the Year, George Dodson, and the 2025 Young Farmer of the Year, Hugh Jackson.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Farmer Panel with the Isuzu Dmax, the kiwiu'te fuilt
Tough with truck DNA. Now, farm succession planning hugely important
topic because much changes in the next a decade intergenerational
transfer of wealth will occur hugely. More than half of
(00:24):
all farmers and growers is about close to eighteen thousand
will reach the age of sixty five. So this is
a massively important topic and we need to get the
younger Brigade, the young guns a view of this, and
our Farmer Panel today, well you don't get any better
than the twenty twenty four Young Farmer of the Year
and then the twenty twenty five Young Farmer of the
(00:45):
Year to discuss this topic. First of all, we'll go
to the sort of the Tiakaw Counties region, Hugh Jackson,
who Michelle called Hugh Jackman yesterday to me, so I thought, gee,
that's going to be intimidating. But how are you on
the farm there? All got up by the water tank
on the hill are you? And good?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Thank you? Hammer ship just popped up here to make
sure I'm in a decent enough reception to give you
a hopefully you can hear me all right.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, I got you alloud and clear. And George Johnson
down from the Darfield region. How's the day down there?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
It's awe but gloomy hamish. I'm great to be on
the show, but we're out on farm and enjoying it.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Yeah, good stuff, Rightio, gents will come to you, Hugh.
How important is succession planning when you're sitting around, you know,
having a cup of tea or an al after work?
Is it? Is it very important to your family and
your business? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Necessarily a very fortunate position to be involved with the
family farm back at home and see fam' been home
a couple of years and we've had some good discussions
around the succession planning. I feel it's very important. Or
when I first sort of got home, I sort of
thought year will be able to discuss things and work
(02:02):
out as a plan, but by a sales But it
sort of became fairly clear early on that some outside
help and someone to guide the conversation and ask those
tough questions is really important. So actually got involved with
real coach and Brett Robinson, who was really awesome and
I can't recommend him enough and going through the process
(02:25):
and getting someone else involved a plan and help you
guys achieve it along the way.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
George, is that your view on things? And it's important
to get a third party involved here because it's such
a well, it's a topic with so many layers to it.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah, it's a very relevant and important topic. I suppose
I could almost speak from the other end of the
scale and the fact that my family doesn't own a
farm or anything. We've actually well we do now, but
we haven't until recently. So it's certainly something that we're
thinking about in the future and how we're going to
navigate it. But it's not something that I've really across
too much, but you're definitely something that we've had to
(03:04):
start thinking about as we purchased a farm pretty recently.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, what are some of the what are some of
the biggest challenges do you think around farm succession, because
it's not just it's more than just assets. I guess,
it's it's skill, it's knowledge, it's a lot of I
guess almost unseen factors as well.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I think one of the biggest challenges probably determining what's
fair versus what's equitable or even I'm not always the
same thing, and what the goals, the family goals are
if you're there and you want to see the farm
go another generation and people are on board with that. Yeah,
you've got to try and make some sacrifices at some
(03:43):
stage somewhere at times. But the biggest thing I think
is just getting onto it early as you can, not
pushing the boat or the can down the road, because
that's sort of when things get tougher and here. And
if you can have a chat early and get everyone
on the same page or on a similar page versus
(04:06):
people assuming things and assuming other things, the Yeah, it's
not a good place to be. So getting into it early,
talking openly about it and making a start is definitely
the key to it. I think.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah, making a start, George, there's no doubt, as you say,
it's something that's probably new on the table for you
as new farm owners, as a family business. But there
are some horror stories out there, aren't there, because because
this is a topic that's just been approached too far
too late in the process.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, absolutely, I think it's got to be spoken about
from day dot. You know, when the child I suppose
comes home to the family farm, it needs to be
a discussion that's you know, starting to be opened up
right away so that all parties are aware and like
Q say, is ultimately some party is going to probably
have to make a small sacrifice given the price of
land and that sort of thing and the returns of
(04:56):
farming at the moment.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, yeah, there's so much to talk about this, but
it's good to hear from you guys as both Young
Farmers of the Year Hugh Jackson and George Doddson a
panel to day and of course Young Farmers Comps coming up. Gentlemen,
you know you'll be sort of watching on with an
eagle eye starting what just what a week or two
(05:19):
as well, So yeah, the next crop coming through you.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, it's exciting, definitely. Starting again eighteenth of this month,
we're going to have a first round of districts I
believe East Coast, South and Otago and tasman Or or
having their district on that weekend and then the next
one after that's well I've got both, yeah, why can
I both plenty of having our district there at Claudland's
(05:45):
in Hamilton and involved with the organization of that this year.
So I'm looking forward to seeing how people will enjoy themselves,
have some fun and get into some practical modules. It's
a great opportunity to test yourself and just learn some
new skills. I've always lent something new every competition of
competed in any level, district, regional, grand finals. So can't
(06:08):
recommend it enough to give yourself, do yourself a favor
and put an entry in.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, and George, I mean they can only be one winner,
as you know, but there must be learnings and a
great experience for everybody that gets involved.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Oh, absolutely, especially at the district's level where you're with
all your mates and stuff. Before you sort of get
pulled into the top eight for regionals. You go along
and have a bit of fun. Most of us probably
don't throw too much into preparing for it, but we
get stuck and then there's heaps of people that put
their hand up to help out as well, so it's
all around a great day.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Yeah, fantastic gentlemen. That's our farmer panel. Hugh Jackson out
of Tiaco County's Region twenty twenty five Young Farmer the
Year twenty twenty four Young Farmer of the Year George
Johnson out of a gloomy Duff Field. It is today
on your Friday, and that's topically the all important succession planning.
Thank you very much, gentlemen,
The Farmer Panel with the Isuzu Dmax, the kiwiu'te fuilt
Tough with truck DNA. Now, farm succession planning hugely important
topic because much changes in the next a decade intergenerational
transfer of wealth will occur hugely. More than half of
(00:24):
all farmers and growers is about close to eighteen thousand
will reach the age of sixty five. So this is
a massively important topic and we need to get the
younger Brigade, the young guns a view of this, and
our Farmer Panel today, well you don't get any better
than the twenty twenty four Young Farmer of the Year
and then the twenty twenty five Young Farmer of the
(00:45):
Year to discuss this topic. First of all, we'll go
to the sort of the Tiakaw Counties region, Hugh Jackson,
who Michelle called Hugh Jackman yesterday to me, so I thought, gee,
that's going to be intimidating. But how are you on
the farm there? All got up by the water tank
on the hill are you? And good?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Thank you? Hammer ship just popped up here to make
sure I'm in a decent enough reception to give you
a hopefully you can hear me all right.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Yeah, I got you alloud and clear. And George Johnson
down from the Darfield region. How's the day down there?
Speaker 3 (01:17):
It's awe but gloomy hamish. I'm great to be on
the show, but we're out on farm and enjoying it.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Yeah, good stuff, Rightio, gents will come to you, Hugh.
How important is succession planning when you're sitting around, you know,
having a cup of tea or an al after work?
Is it? Is it very important to your family and
your business? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Necessarily a very fortunate position to be involved with the
family farm back at home and see fam' been home
a couple of years and we've had some good discussions
around the succession planning. I feel it's very important. Or
when I first sort of got home, I sort of
thought year will be able to discuss things and work
(02:02):
out as a plan, but by a sales But it
sort of became fairly clear early on that some outside
help and someone to guide the conversation and ask those
tough questions is really important. So actually got involved with
real coach and Brett Robinson, who was really awesome and
I can't recommend him enough and going through the process
(02:25):
and getting someone else involved a plan and help you
guys achieve it along the way.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
George, is that your view on things? And it's important
to get a third party involved here because it's such
a well, it's a topic with so many layers to it.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah, it's a very relevant and important topic. I suppose
I could almost speak from the other end of the
scale and the fact that my family doesn't own a
farm or anything. We've actually well we do now, but
we haven't until recently. So it's certainly something that we're
thinking about in the future and how we're going to
navigate it. But it's not something that I've really across
too much, but you're definitely something that we've had to
(03:04):
start thinking about as we purchased a farm pretty recently.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, what are some of the what are some of
the biggest challenges do you think around farm succession, because
it's not just it's more than just assets. I guess,
it's it's skill, it's knowledge, it's a lot of I
guess almost unseen factors as well.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I think one of the biggest challenges probably determining what's
fair versus what's equitable or even I'm not always the
same thing, and what the goals, the family goals are
if you're there and you want to see the farm
go another generation and people are on board with that. Yeah,
you've got to try and make some sacrifices at some
(03:43):
stage somewhere at times. But the biggest thing I think
is just getting onto it early as you can, not
pushing the boat or the can down the road, because
that's sort of when things get tougher and here. And
if you can have a chat early and get everyone
on the same page or on a similar page versus
(04:06):
people assuming things and assuming other things, the Yeah, it's
not a good place to be. So getting into it early,
talking openly about it and making a start is definitely
the key to it. I think.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Yeah, making a start, George, there's no doubt, as you say,
it's something that's probably new on the table for you
as new farm owners, as a family business. But there
are some horror stories out there, aren't there, because because
this is a topic that's just been approached too far
too late in the process.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, absolutely, I think it's got to be spoken about
from day dot. You know, when the child I suppose
comes home to the family farm, it needs to be
a discussion that's you know, starting to be opened up
right away so that all parties are aware and like
Q say, is ultimately some party is going to probably
have to make a small sacrifice given the price of
land and that sort of thing and the returns of
(04:56):
farming at the moment.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, yeah, there's so much to talk about this, but
it's good to hear from you guys as both Young
Farmers of the Year Hugh Jackson and George Doddson a
panel to day and of course Young Farmers Comps coming up. Gentlemen,
you know you'll be sort of watching on with an
eagle eye starting what just what a week or two
(05:19):
as well, So yeah, the next crop coming through you.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, it's exciting, definitely. Starting again eighteenth of this month,
we're going to have a first round of districts I
believe East Coast, South and Otago and tasman Or or
having their district on that weekend and then the next
one after that's well I've got both, yeah, why can
I both plenty of having our district there at Claudland's
(05:45):
in Hamilton and involved with the organization of that this year.
So I'm looking forward to seeing how people will enjoy themselves,
have some fun and get into some practical modules. It's
a great opportunity to test yourself and just learn some
new skills. I've always lent something new every competition of
competed in any level, district, regional, grand finals. So can't
(06:08):
recommend it enough to give yourself, do yourself a favor
and put an entry in.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
Yeah, and George, I mean they can only be one winner,
as you know, but there must be learnings and a
great experience for everybody that gets involved.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
Oh, absolutely, especially at the district's level where you're with
all your mates and stuff. Before you sort of get
pulled into the top eight for regionals. You go along
and have a bit of fun. Most of us probably
don't throw too much into preparing for it, but we
get stuck and then there's heaps of people that put
their hand up to help out as well, so it's
all around a great day.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Yeah, fantastic gentlemen. That's our farmer panel. Hugh Jackson out
of Tiaco County's Region twenty twenty five Young Farmer the
Year twenty twenty four Young Farmer of the Year George
Johnson out of a gloomy Duff Field. It is today
on your Friday, and that's topically the all important succession planning.
Thank you very much, gentlemen,
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