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Ari Burt

Senior Shepherd
Freestone Farm

Returning to the land

Ari Burt is a born and bred sheep and beef farmer with a strong, lifelong connection to the land. Growing up on a Pāmu Landcorp farm meant farming was always in the background. After spending some time gaining experience elsewhere in the agricultural sector, the draw of familiar ground brought Ari back to Pāmu. Now based in Southland, Ari focuses on delivering practical, high-quality work every day.  

The daily motivation for Ari is simple and grounded. It is all about getting out into the paddock and applying years of hands-on experience to get the job done right. 

"As a born and bred sheep and beef farmer, I'm just motivated to get out on farm and put my skills to good use."

Farming offers a lifestyle that is hard to beat for those who prefer fresh air over a desk. For Ari, the best parts of the job are working in the outdoors, dealing with the daily variety of farm work, and growing livestock to the best of their ability. 

Working shoulder-to-shoulder

Achieving farming excellence does not happen by accident. Ari believes it comes down to having high standards and taking genuine pride in both the farm and the wider workplace. This means doing the hard yards and making sure the daily details are correct. 

Teamwork is a massive part of keeping a farm running well. When looking at the core values at Pāmu, shoulder-to-shoulder is the one that stands out the most for Ari.

"I like to put the effort in so my colleagues can enjoy the job as well."

This strong work ethic was clear during a recent major farm project. Setting up techno grazing cells takes precision and hard work. Ari counts completing these cells to a professional standard as a major career highlight. It was a massive effort, but seeing the intensive grazing system up and running smoothly made the hard work worthwhile.

Protecting the environment

Beyond the daily tasks, Ari looks at the bigger picture of farming in Aotearoa New Zealand. There is a strong sense of pride in how the farm is tackling environmental challenges on the ground. 

"I feel Pāmu is putting its best foot forward to make farming sustainable while protecting the environment. I'm proud of our contribution to improve water quality with better farming practices."

Looking ahead

Looking ahead to the next five years, Ari is keen to stay planted in the south. The plan is to remain in Southland, enjoying everything the region has to offer, while looking for practical opportunities to step up and take on more responsibility on the farm. 

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