Pukepoto Farm Trust Shares Success Through Beef and Lamb Hub Farm Programme

The Pukepoto Farm Trust, a Māori-owned operation near Taumarunui, is demonstrating how data-driven decision-making and careful planning can ensure long-term sustainability for its more than 1,000 shareholders. As reported by RNZ’s Country Life on 19 September 2026, the trust has maintained a consistent profit for 16 years, allowing it to provide dividends, education grants, and kaumātua grants to descendants of Ngāti Maniapoto. Trustee Weo Maag, who inherited his shares through his mother’s whakapapa, told Country Life that the trust is now sharing its successful strategies with neighbouring farmers through the Beef and Lamb Hub Farm Programme. The initiative, which Pukepoto joined in October 2025, follows a real-world farm business over several years to provide data on how specific changes affect a farming system. Maag noted that the programme will offer "real live data" on grass growth to complement the trust’s existing use of soil moisture tools and historical rainfall knowledge. Approximately 80 farmers, trustees, and rural professionals attended a recent field day at the wool shed to learn about the farm’s performance. The trust is focused on lifting performance through genetics, land-use decisions, and the integration of new technology, such as Gallagher’s eShepherd virtual fencing collars. Trust chairperson Aloma Shearer explained that the trust is always "looking for an edge" to increase productivity and share that knowledge to help other farmers with their future plans. Beyond immediate profits, the focus remains on intergenerational stability. Maag emphasized that the Hub Farm Programme provides a verified paper trail of data that will assist future trustees who may have expertise in governance and finance but less experience in hands-on farming. By benchmarking success and keeping detailed records, the trust ensures that the land continues to provide for its people while performing among the top farms in the district.