Tired of reading about the problems faced by young farmers looking to get into farm ownership, Sarah How decided to do something about it.
The Mid Canterbury arable farmer teamed up with friend Tara Dwyer to launch Landify – an online space that brings together farmers looking to sell, investors and those hoping to buy a farm of their own.
“We have an ageing population of owner-operators on farm in New Zealand and we know that many of them are looking at ways to step back,” How told the Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast.
“At the same time, we know that our communities are full of really engaged, really capable young people who want to have a crack, but whether they’re from farming backgrounds or not, these guys are in no position to front up with meaningful amounts of capital to compete in the open market.”
Landify provides the platform where stakeholders on both sides of the transaction can discuss ways to make it work, whether it be through equity partnerships, leasing agreements or by finding other investors.
“We think that many of these arrangements are under-explored, because how do families explore them in a really safe and discreet way that meets their needs before making any major decisions?
“We see Landify being New Zealand’s first modern, open access yet discrete way for people to explore a range of farming partnership possibilities.”
The site was launched this month and interest has been strong, with thousands of people watching the launch video and exploring the site.
Vendors can post listings there as a way to kick off a conversation with interested buyers.
How said there are many young, eager people willing to take on the challenge of farming but often that first hurdle is too high.
“It’s my generation that’s going to be the ones who are given the responsibility to stand up to all of the sustainability challenges that our industry is facing, and I don’t just mean environmental sustainability; I always talk about financial sustainability and social sustainability.
“What we’ve seen in New Zealand’s history is that where our farmers have had their own autonomy and their opportunity to innovate behind the farm gate and find solutions to the latest market challenges, that’s where we come to the fore and this is why New Zealand farmers are among the best in the world.
“We want to make sure that we’re future-proofing our ownership models to allow for the next generation to have that autonomy and that ability to craft the future for themselves.”
Those interested in being involved should visit landify.co.nz
