Paul emigrated to New Zealand in 1976 and worked his way up through the share farming system to full farm ownership with his wife Shirley. They recently sold their hilly 89ha dairy farm on the North Island and have moved to a 160ha sheep farm on the South Island which they are converting to dairying. Dairying in Southland is booming. Five years ago the 150 suppliers averaged 16,000kg milk fat/year and also kept sheep and beef. This season, there are 450 suppliers averaging 42,000kg milk fat and the mixed farms are all now specialised dairy units. This might seem like enormous growth, but dairy farms only occupy 7% of the suitable land at the southern end of this island. There are several factors limiting expansion - most are economic, but some are political.
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