Chris & Louise Kay
Sheep & Beef Farmers
Chris and Louise operate the same farm Chris grew up on - with 1400 hectares of farmland, forestry, and native bush. These days, they’re focused on running an efficient system that looks after both their stock and the environment. We spoke to Chris about his passion for farming, ensuring safe farming practices and how Ballance ties into that.
What got you into farming?
“I came here when I was three and have been farming here the last 40-odd years. I always had a general love for farming, always wanted to be out on the farm as a kid, so I just followed through on that.”
Why did you start using SpreadSmart?
"In the last couple of years, it has become an important tool to maximise our fertiliser budget."
"In the past, whether it was a plane, truck, or helicopter, the process was much more manual. On tricky areas like slopes or near waterways, operators had to be cautious about where they applied fertiliser. As a result, it often didn’t reach the edges of the paddocks, and the land wasn’t fertilised efficiently."
What difference has SpreadSmart made to your farm’s efficiency?
“You’re keeping fertiliser on productive land and away from unproductive areas. You’re no longer applying it to retired bushland or waterways. That means you could be using less fertiliser overall, or if you're using the same amount, you're applying it only to the hectares that actually produce. Either way, it’s a more efficient use of your resources.”
“We’re always looking for ways to improve those small margins. SpreadSmart adds another layer of efficiency to our farming, and over time, that really adds up—it’s meant about 7% savings for us.”
Why is that important on your farm?
“Our farm in Waitomo has adventure tourism woven into the business, so protecting retired areas, waterways and native bush is hugely important to the long-term future to the property.”
