After a career pivot, Abby Cook has thrown herself into the world of dairy farming with a passion that has seen her rise to be manager of Clearbrook Farm in Hinds after just two years in the industry.

Cook grew up on a farm in Southland before the family moved to Waikato after her father passed away in 2009.

Despite always considering a career in agriculture, Cook initially decided to pursue a different path.

She studied at the University of Otago, gaining a Bachelor of Applied Science majoring in Pharmacology and Forensics after encouragement from a career advisor at high school.

“I did Ag at school, and it never occurred to me to do something different.

“My mum encouraged me to try something different; she said the dairy industry would always be there.

“As I get older, I realise she was right about quite a lot of things.”

Despite finding the work interesting, after finishing her degree, Cook realised that being stuck inside a laboratory was not for her.

Keen to get outside and return to her farming roots, Cook discovered the Grassroots Dairy Management Programme and put in an application.

The programme connects university graduates with farmers who support students in completing 25 modules in just under a year while working on the farm for a competitive salary.

The programme aims to fast-track graduates into farm management positions in the dairy industry.

“The graduate programme was a perfect gateway into the industry,” Cook said.

“It mixes learning with a full-time job.”

After an interview process, Cook was accepted into the programme and was placed at Clearbook Farm with owner Campbell Tait, who has been involved in the programme since the beginning.

The ten-month programme was developed by a group of farmers, including Tait, to encourage graduates to take on-farm management roles rather than corporate career paths.

“There were five of us in my year, all working on different farms.

“Once a week, we would head off together, whether it was to someone else’s farm or to talk to someone from DairyNZ or a vet.

“We basically had an expert in every field each week,”

Graduates could then take what they had learned back to the farm, implement that knowledge and talk it through with the farm owner.

“There is no way I would be managing already without the Dairy Grads Programme,” Cook said.

“Campbell has been quite present and is still there to help me if I need it.

“He loves training people, and that’s the kind of boss you want.”

Tait encouraged Cook to enter the Dairy Industry Trainee of the Year category in the Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) last year.

While Cook didn’t win the title, she placed runner-up and is keen to enter the awards again this year.

“There’s nothing to lose, only stuff to learn.”

Cook credits the graduate programme, the NZDIA and the local Hinds Young Farmers ,of which Cook is chairperson,for helping her grow her professional and social network in Canterbury

“Young Farmers been really great for meeting people, and I love bringing in people that are new to the area.

“They instantly make friends.

“It’s grown my network insanely; it’s really cool.”

Cook says the most important thing for young women entering the dairy industry is to “believe in yourself.”

“I’ve always had a huge insecurity about being able to do the physical work.”

Cook said that although she was raised on a farm, she had been too young to have any practical farm experience before joining the programme.

“I didn’t even know how to start a motorbike, and I’d never even cupped a cow, but it’s not that hard.

“It’s more of a mental barrier than actually physically doing it.

“Back yourself, you can learn.

“Surround yourself with good people who want you to succeed.”

Cook said her ultimate goal is farm ownership.

“I loved being raised on a farm, so that’s what I want for my own family.”

by Claire Inkson