Read Full Article. Credit: Business Rural North. Winter 2024. Written by: Kelly Deeks

Established in 2001 on a third generation dairy farm on the banks of the Waikato River, Sanson Agriculture has grown beyond the confines of the homestead at Waotu, south Waikato with a contracting business which provides the full spectrum of agricultural services from Taupo to Matamata and Te Awamutu.

Dairy farming started the main focus for Sanson Agriculture owners Justin Sanson and Sara Greene, who split calve a top kiwicross herd on the family farm. Sara loves the breeding side of the business and has worked hard over the past 16 years to improve the herd, and has even got some bulls marketed by different breeding companies.

Whereas contracting has always been Justin’s first love. In 2008 he saw a chance to pursue that love again. Starting modestly as a sideline, doing their own work and helping out a few neighbours, Justin relished the opportunity to get back to his first love of heavy machinery and his passion for contracting. Baling and drilling were their bread and butter in those early days, but as time passed, so did Sanson Agriculture’s repertoire.

Customers asked for more and Sanson Agriculture was ready to deliver, expanding the fleet to include harvesters, trucks, and all the gear required to tackle any task. Before long, the company had turned into a full-fledged operation encompassing cultivation, drilling, planting, harvesting, baling, and even the management of effluent.

“Because were a small farm, we were finding it hard to get a contractor when we needed one, so we started out by doing our own and helping a few neighbours and it grew from there” Justin says. “In 2014 we really pushed ahead, buying more gear and becoming a one-stop-shop for more and more farmers.

Now we can do everything the farmer needs from cultivation to baling to spreading their effluent where they need it.” While the dairy farm remains the heart of the enterprise, with the help of dedicated staff, Justin and Sara have managed to grow and balance both sides of their operation. “For a while we were running everything ourselves with casual staff, but that became unsustainable so we employed full-time staff on both the farm and the contracting business.

The two work well together. When it’s a low payout year the contracting business really helps the farm, and when it’s a high payout year the farm really helps the contracting business.”

As costs continue to rise, Sara and Justin are being just as careful as their clients are of where they spend every dollar, and making sure the money spent brings value to their operation. “Because we are farmers as well as contractors, we are mindful of our pricing, and of doing a top notch job for our clients,” Sara says. “Cows have to be fed no matter what, and the cheapest form of feed is always going to be a feed the farmer has made on their own farm.

We’re here to help them get the highest quality feed they can get for their cows.” Despite the challenges thrown their way, Sanson Agriculture stands firm in its commitment to the land, the community, and the family legacy. Just like many of their customers, Justin and Sara’s place will always be Waotu, where the Sanson name is respected and its reputation is as solid as the earth beneath their feet.