I’m Jay Singh. I'm based in Greymouth and I cover the whole of the West Coast for FarmWise.
What is my farming experience?
Before FarmWise I ran farms in the North Island gaining experience, and knowledge of managing farms at varying scales and systems. The West Coast is quite different to the Waikato or Canterbury and I’ve loved getting to know farming here. We have many patches and each of those patches is different. They have microclimates, and their soils are different so I have to provide more tailored solutions because one size doesn’t fit all.
As well as my farm management experience I have a certificate in advanced sustainable nutrient management and I’m a certified BCS assessor but at the end of the day, the most important thing for a farm consultant to do is build trust. Whether it’s farmer to farmer or building trust within a community or within a region. Once you get that, things start moving. Trust is even more important than the technical side of things – because anybody, even Artificial Intelligence, can give you technical knowledge. But trust requires a personal touch.
Farmers have told me they like the way I explain things. And I think that comes from being in their shoes, so I can empathise and communicate. Not everybody wants to hear technical words, I like to explain things in a way that resonates.
I think I'm probably the youngest consultant in the FarmWise team but having had a previous career in hospitality I bring a unique skillset to the team. There's a big knowledge pool in FarmWise and all the consultants are happy to help each other and share their knowledge. The support is always there.
What do I like doing outside of work?
When I’m not on the farm I play hockey, and I love watching basketball and Formula One. I also love cooking. It’s a real stress busting thing for me.
What do I like about working with farmers?
What I like about this job is that every day is different. Every farmer approaches things differently. Even though they have similar goals, their approach is different.
People ring me with different sorts of issues, sometimes with questions that really push me. I get a lot of satisfaction when a farmer says, "Thank you. You have added value to my system."
Education
Bachelor of Business Management.
Work Experience
Ten years of dairy farming experience in system 1-5 and organic dairy farming.