Case IH Tractor Provides Boost to Next Generation of New Zealand Farmers at Salvos’ Southland Training Farm

CNH brand, Case IH, has donated tractors to young training farmers in Southland, New Zealand.

This is helping make a big difference in the lives of young people with a passion for agriculture who may not have the resources to fund the training required to get a foothold in the industry.

Jeff Farm is a 2,433ha property near Gore, owned and run by the Salvation Army since the early 1950s. It was gifted by farmer Edmund Jeff, with the stipulation it be “used to train young people in farming practices - who would not otherwise have such a career option”.

Michael Benton has been General Manager of the training property for the past 12 months, arriving as its Assistant Manager two-and-a-half years ago.

There are five trainees at Jeff Farm at any one time, usually coming straight from school. They also live on the property and for the next two years they’ll develop a raft of skills—everything from learning how to operate motorbikes, chainsaws and tractors, to fencing, stock procedures and training a working dog.

“The idea is that we teach them the necessary skills needed to make them attractive employees in the agriculture industry once they leave here,” Michael said.

The trainees have recently welcomed a new tractor, a Case IH Puma 220, which is the first Case IH tractor on Jeff Farm—now it’s the biggest in the fleet.

Michael has said the team at the local Case IH dealership, Agricentre South, had been keen to become involved in the property when they learned about it and what it had been established to achieve.

“They wanted to know the story behind it, which was important to us, and the service they’ve provided has been great. The new Puma has everything we need, and the trainees are certainly enjoying the additional horsepower and all the technology it offers, and how that can assist us in performing all the tasks around the property, enhancing efficiency and productivity,” Michael said.