FUWture of farming

We caught up with Pembrokeshire young farmer, Rebecca John, following her recent trip to New Zealand…

I’m Rebecca John, a third-generation dairy farmer working alongside my father in Pembrokeshire. I am a member of Fishguard YFC and current vice chairman. YFC has given me so many opportunities, but the one that pushed me furthest (literally!) outside my comfort zone was being awarded the New Zealand Dairy Scholarship through the Wales YFC international programme.

I’d always hoped to work on a dairy farm in New Zealand after university, but Covid changed those plans. Once I was home, there never seemed to be a ‘right time’ to travel again. That’s why I’m so grateful to Wales YFC for giving me the opportunity and encouraging me to go - without waiting for perfect timing or company.

Travelling solo gave me a huge boost in confidence and independence, and I was able to experience working for someone outside my family while learning about a completely different farming system.

I arrived in late July 2025, going straight from the warmth of the Royal Welsh Show into a cold New Zealand winter. Home for the next five months was Dorie in mid-Canterbury, about an hour from Christchurch.

I arrived just before calving, which lasted around two months. It was my first time experiencing block calving and outdoor calving. Being so close to the sea meant the farm was windy even on good days, so winter calving was certainly cold. A total of 600 cows and heifers calved, with a farm record of 45 calves in one day. Calves were mostly Jerseys with a few Speckle Parks.

One practice that surprised me was that no calves from heifers were kept. It seemed wasteful and harsh to me, but it is common in New Zealand. I enjoyed the block calving system and could see its benefits.

The herd was mainly jersey crosses, which suited the system well. However, I did miss my own cows at home and the pedigree breeding I love as a Holstein enthusiast. Mating began at the end of November with four weeks of AI, followed by Jersey bulls running with the herd until the New Year.

New Zealand felt like a country with agriculture at its heart. Rural life is woven into everyday life and farming is respected. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into New Zealand rural life by attending YFC meetings, a speed shear, a “bark up” (a competition to see whose dog, and sometimes which human can bark the best) and the Canterbury A&P Show.

TB exists in New Zealand, with possums as the carriers. Farmers can legally control possums - rural stores sell clothing made from possum and at the Canterbury Show possum skins and tails were sold. It made me wonder how TB control in the UK might look if similar freedoms existed.

Compared to the UK, New Zealand feels more accessible for career progression in agriculture. Many farms use the sharemilking system, giving people a pathway to owning cows and eventually land without inheritance. Succession is business-focused: if children aren’t interested, farms are often passed to long-term managers. High land prices are a similarity between both countries.

My time in New Zealand was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I had a good balance of being a tourist while also experiencing the country’s dairy industry. I gained new skills in irrigation, effluent management, and working as part of a multicultural team. My boss told me, “You’ll go home with a deep appreciation for where you’re from,” and she was right. I developed a deep hiraeth for Pembrokeshire.

This experience has confirmed my desire to follow in my grandfather’s and father’s footsteps with the aim of providing the same opportunity for the next generation.