"Literally the embodiment of what the farming industry should be."
That is how Welsh-born Myfanwy Alexander, who manages her farming business Penmark Farms, in North Otago, is described.
"She is an exceptional farmer with a strong focus on feeding animals well, and is focused on welfare with high standards for all things safety for both humans and animals on farm.
"She is dedicated to the rural community she lives in and is committed to ensuring that she can say in the future, with pride, that she is a New Zealand dairy farmer," her nominator said.
From a non-farming background, Myfanwy decided from a young age that she wanted to farm and she completed a science degree in agriculture, with honours, at the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester.
While there, she spent two months on work experience on a dairy farm in New Zealand and "absolutely loved" farming here. Returning to the UK, she finished her degree but before donning her cap and gown to graduate, she was on a flight back to New Zealand.
Nine years ago, Myfanwy moved to the Waitaki Valley with her then partner and their two young daughters, then aged 3 and 5. He left later that year and she, with supportive farm owners, continued for the rest of the season.
The trio then headed off to manage farms locally for six years before moving two years ago to contract milk on a 1000-cow farm between Kurow and Duntroon.
One of the reasons why she was so passionate about her community was her experience when she moved to the area. She and her daughters were loved, welcomed and looked after during what she described as a "white-knuckled ride".
Hard work, grit, stubbornness and determination had been key to her success; there was no way she was going to give up on her dreams even when her life suddenly changed.
Asked the attraction of the farming industry, Myfanwy said it was being outdoors, working with people — she preferred larger farms and working among a team — and the fact that it was a wonderful place to bring up children. She now had a very supportive partner Scott.
She reached a stage where she was not content "to just stand outside the fire", and she felt a need to practise what she preached. She is now president of North Otago Federated Farmers, the regional lead for the Dairy Women’s Network — she was passionate about seeing other women do well — and she is also on the South Island Dairy Event (Side) governance group.
While attending E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit, Myfanwy stumbled across a group of women who made her refresh her view of "maybe what I was".
Taking part in the Agri-Women’s Development Trust’s Escalator programme also gave her the confidence that she did have something to offer.
She believed there were numerous times in her career that she had been passed over for men for opportunities, and she was philosophical about that, saying "it is what it is" — so long as that was not the case for her youngest daughter who was keen to pursue a career in farming.
She was involved in a group which was being set up in the Duntroon area for female dairy farmers to catch up in a supportive environment and share what was going on in their worlds.
Always keen to ensure the highest standards of animal health could be maintained, while optimising production in the most cost-efficient way, Myfanwy adopted new technology, including drafting system Intelligate, Allflex/MSD animal health collars and pasture monitoring system Farmote.
Excited about the future of the sector, Myfanwy’s mantra was "make the bloody most of it instead of moaning".
— Sally Rae
