Qlabs Limited - Qlabs Limited 4 Victoria Street

I have a background in the agriculture sector. I grew up on the family farm in the King Country and after gaining a DipAg at Massey University, I returned home to share farm sheep and beef, at the same time I successfully contracted my services to the local farmers.In 1990, the family farm was converted to dairy and my brother and I became 50/50 sharemilkers. By the mid 1990s I had bought out my brother’s shares. I then leased and purchased a neighbouring farm and increased cow numbers to 520 and moved to a 60/40 sharemilking contract.After several years of observing a rapid decline throughout our production system I changed farming practices and converted to a Low to No Nitrogen programme. This re-ignited my passion for the relationship between soil, plants and animal health. The following years saw a rapid improvement in animal health, production levels, environmental issues and profits.After selling the farm in 2007, the opportunity arose for me to follow my other passion – Soil Science, so in the latter part of the year I become a 50/50 shareholder in Quantum Laboratories (now Qlabs Ltd).Through my understanding of soil fertility, pasture production and animal nutrition, I have gone on to develop a tool for pastoral farmers – The Ruminant Nitrogen Utilisation Programme (NZ Patent Application No. 630767). This enables farmers to work proactively to gain greater pasture to animal production efficiency while reducing their environmental footprint. For me  “there is no greater satisfaction in agriculture than being witness to the enjoyment farmers get out of farming successfully.”Outside of business hours, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I am  keen on hunting and fishing and love to spend time in the garden, growing, harvesting and preserving the produce.