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Total Ag Team

Total Ag’s consulting team consists of farmer-consultants who bring a wealth of first hand experience with them when they come through your farm gate. Regardless of whether a client needs help to improve their farm’s daily operations, or dealing with “big picture” issues like farm succession or environmental planning, they can work to deliver a better farm business outcomes.

Total Ag Team

Total Ag’s consulting team consists of farmer-consultants who bring a wealth of first hand experience with them when they come through your farm gate. Regardless of whether a client needs help to improve their farm’s daily operations, or dealing with “big picture” issues like farm succession or environmental planning, they can work to deliver a better farm business outcomes.

Total Ag Team

Total Ag’s consulting team consists of farmer-consultants who bring a wealth of first hand experience with them when they come through your farm gate. Regardless of whether a client needs help to improve their farm’s daily operations, or dealing with “big picture” issues like farm succession or environmental planning, they can work to deliver a better farm business outcomes.

Meet The Total Ag Team 

Farming consultants who bring a wealth of first hand experience with them when they come through the farm gate.

Meet The Total Ag Team 

Farming consultants who bring a wealth of first hand experience with them when they come through the farm gate.

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Rob Macnab

Agribusiness Consultant
Director & founding Shareholder

The hill country of western Waikato is where Rob Macnab puts much of what he is telling his clients into practice, on his 147ha property in the Waimai Valley near Te Akau. Growing up on a hill country farm near Whanganui he always knew he would stay connected to the rural sector throughout his career. 

Completing a Massey University degree in the late 80s he then travelled for five years, meeting his wife of today, Tina. Farm work back in Whanganui then had him move to Waikato, to start for BoP Fertiliser (Ballance Agrinutrients).

After a decade spent advising farmers on fertiliser use Rob moved into farm finance, managing a wide portfolio of farmer clients for Rabobank while also completing a Kellogg Scholarship and a Masters degree in Agribusiness at Lincoln University. 

Rob has developed a reputation for helping farmers develop better long-term strategies for their farm business, including viable succession plans and improvements to farm systems.

Rob’s extensive governance experience means he brings a deep level of skill and knowledge to multiple member farm operations. That experience includes director and trustee roles of several family farm operations and community groups.

Along with his 147ha property, Rob also leases another 580ha dry stock farm in Waikato, and is chair of a 600 cow dairy farm equity partnership in Otago.

Today he balances “boots on” farming with his portfolio of farmer clients who represent the spectrum of farm variety across New Zealand.

For Rob the reward of founding and continuing to work in Total Ag is seeing positive outcomes for his farming clients and their families in all aspects of their lives and farm businesses.

rob@total-ag.com

027 320 3185

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Matt Bartleet

Agribusiness Consultant
Director & Shareholder

Matt has combined his farming and rugby coaching experience to provide a solid foundation to coach farmer clients into making better, more informed farm business decisions. 

Matt brings over 20 years of farming experience with him that includes having owned a 700 cow Matamata dairy farm with his wife Karen. They appreciate the challenges and obstacles the path to farm ownership brings,  having worked their way through the industry from share-milking to farm ownership. 

Today they are turning their 400ha Te Miro dry stock property into a high performing service bull and dairy grazing operation.

Matt has long been a rugby coach, most recently for Thames Valley and finds there are many similarities to coaching farmers in the field to achieve their best and getting the most out of rugby players on the field.

Consulting has proven to be a natural next step for Matt, and he has built a portfolio of farmers who appreciate his straight up, honest assessment of their farm business, and how they can improve it. 

He offers specialised advice on dairy farm operations and farm management plans for clients. With a certificate in advanced sustainable nutrient management Matt is also qualified to help farmer clients complete their Farm Environment Plans.

Matt believes a good farmer needs to review their business and their life goals every five years, asking themselves some key questions including “am I enjoying what I do?” “is this sustainable?” and “what do I see as an alternative?”.

He finds the reward in consulting with Total Ag comes when a client has a “lightbulb” moment, and when they ask him to be a partner advising them on their farm business journey.

matt@total-ag.com

027 292 6568

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Peter McCraith.

Agribusiness Consultant
SHAREHOLDER

Based in the winterless North, Peter runs the family’s dry stock operation at Broadwood, in the northern Hokianga district.

His financial experience includes time spent as a regional manager with Rabobank in Queensland and working as branch manager for 12 years with the bank at Matamata.

With the move to more online banking Peter has been working closely with clients to build their confidence using software systems including Figured and Xero. With that has come advice on better management of cashflow during the farming year and improving planning for budgeting needs. 

Peter appreciates being able to work with farmer clients to give them financial insights that help them get the best possible returns from their farm business operations.

team_image
Rob Macnab

Agribusiness Consultant
Director & founding Shareholder

The hill country of western Waikato is where Rob Macnab puts much of what he is telling his clients into practice, on his 147ha property in the Waimai Valley near Te Akau. Growing up on a hill country farm near Whanganui he always knew he would stay connected to the rural sector throughout his career. 

Completing a Massey University degree in the late 80s he then travelled for five years, meeting his wife of today, Tina. Farm work back in Whanganui then had him move to Waikato, to start for BoP Fertiliser (Ballance Agrinutrients).

After a decade spent advising farmers on fertiliser use Rob moved into farm finance, managing a wide portfolio of farmer clients for Rabobank while also completing a Kellogg Scholarship and a Masters degree in Agribusiness at Lincoln University. 

Rob has developed a reputation for helping farmers develop better long-term strategies for their farm business, including viable succession plans and improvements to farm systems.

Rob’s extensive governance experience means he brings a deep level of skill and knowledge to multiple member farm operations. That experience includes director and trustee roles of several family farm operations and community groups.

Along with his 147ha property, Rob also leases another 580ha dry stock farm in Waikato, and is chair of a 600 cow dairy farm equity partnership in Otago.

Today he balances “boots on” farming with his portfolio of farmer clients who represent the spectrum of farm variety across New Zealand.

For Rob the reward of founding and continuing to work in Total Ag is seeing positive outcomes for his farming clients and their families in all aspects of their lives and farm businesses.

rob@total-ag.com

027 320 3185

team_image
Matt Bartleet

Agribusiness Consultant
Director & Shareholder

Matt has combined his farming and rugby coaching experience to provide a solid foundation to coach farmer clients into making better, more informed farm business decisions. 

Matt brings over 20 years of farming experience with him that includes having owned a 700 cow Matamata dairy farm with his wife Karen. They appreciate the challenges and obstacles the path to farm ownership brings,  having worked their way through the industry from share-milking to farm ownership. 

Today they are turning their 400ha Te Miro dry stock property into a high performing service bull and dairy grazing operation.

Matt has long been a rugby coach, most recently for Thames Valley and finds there are many similarities to coaching farmers in the field to achieve their best and getting the most out of rugby players on the field.

Consulting has proven to be a natural next step for Matt, and he has built a portfolio of farmers who appreciate his straight up, honest assessment of their farm business, and how they can improve it. 

He offers specialised advice on dairy farm operations and farm management plans for clients. With a certificate in advanced sustainable nutrient management Matt is also qualified to help farmer clients complete their Farm Environment Plans.

Matt believes a good farmer needs to review their business and their life goals every five years, asking themselves some key questions including “am I enjoying what I do?” “is this sustainable?” and “what do I see as an alternative?”.

He finds the reward in consulting with Total Ag comes when a client has a “lightbulb” moment, and when they ask him to be a partner advising them on their farm business journey.

matt@total-ag.com

027 292 6568

team_image
Peter McCraith.

Agribusiness Consultant
SHAREHOLDER

Based in the winterless North, Peter runs the family’s dry stock operation at Broadwood, in the northern Hokianga district.

His financial experience includes time spent as a regional manager with Rabobank in Queensland and working as branch manager for 12 years with the bank at Matamata.

With the move to more online banking Peter has been working closely with clients to build their confidence using software systems including Figured and Xero. With that has come advice on better management of cashflow during the farming year and improving planning for budgeting needs. 

Peter appreciates being able to work with farmer clients to give them financial insights that help them get the best possible returns from their farm business operations.

team_image
Rob Macnab

Agribusiness Consultant
Director & founding Shareholder

The hill country of western Waikato is where Rob Macnab puts much of what he is telling his clients into practice, on his 147ha property in the Waimai Valley near Te Akau. Growing up on a hill country farm near Whanganui he always knew he would stay connected to the rural sector throughout his career. 

Completing a Massey University degree in the late 80s he then travelled for five years, meeting his wife of today, Tina. Farm work back in Whanganui then had him move to Waikato, to start for BoP Fertiliser (Ballance Agrinutrients).

After a decade spent advising farmers on fertiliser use Rob moved into farm finance, managing a wide portfolio of farmer clients for Rabobank while also completing a Kellogg Scholarship and a Masters degree in Agribusiness at Lincoln University. 

Rob has developed a reputation for helping farmers develop better long-term strategies for their farm business, including viable succession plans and improvements to farm systems.

Rob’s extensive governance experience means he brings a deep level of skill and knowledge to multiple member farm operations. That experience includes director and trustee roles of several family farm operations and community groups.

Along with his 147ha property, Rob also leases another 580ha dry stock farm in Waikato, and is chair of a 600 cow dairy farm equity partnership in Otago.

Today he balances “boots on” farming with his portfolio of farmer clients who represent the spectrum of farm variety across New Zealand.

For Rob the reward of founding and continuing to work in Total Ag is seeing positive outcomes for his farming clients and their families in all aspects of their lives and farm businesses.

rob@total-ag.com

027 320 3185

team_image
Matt Bartleet

Agribusiness Consultant
Director & SHAREHOLDER

Matt has combined his farming and rugby coaching experience to provide a solid foundation to coach farmer clients into making better, more informed farm business decisions. 

Matt brings over 20 years of farming experience with him that includes having owned a 700 cow Matamata dairy farm with his wife Karen. They appreciate the challenges and obstacles the path to farm ownership brings,  having worked their way through the industry from share-milking to farm ownership. 

Today they are turning their 400ha Te Miro dry stock property into a high performing service bull and dairy grazing operation.

Matt has long been a rugby coach, most recently for Thames Valley and finds there are many similarities to coaching farmers in the field to achieve their best and getting the most out of rugby players on the field.

Consulting has proven to be a natural next step for Matt, and he has built a portfolio of farmers who appreciate his straight up, honest assessment of their farm business, and how they can improve it. 

He offers specialised advice on dairy farm operations and farm management plans for clients. With a certificate in advanced sustainable nutrient management Matt is also qualified to help farmer clients complete their Farm Environment Plans.

Matt believes a good farmer needs to review their business and their life goals every five years, asking themselves some key questions including “am I enjoying what I do?” “is this sustainable?” and “what do I see as an alternative?”.

He finds the reward in consulting with Total Ag comes when a client has a “lightbulb” moment, and when they ask him to be a partner advising them on their farm business journey.

matt@total-ag.com

027 292 6568

team_image
Peter McCraith.

Agribusiness Consultant
SHAREHOLDER

Based in the winterless North, Peter runs the family’s dry stock operation at Broadwood, in the northern Hokianga district.

His financial experience includes time spent as a regional manager with Rabobank in Queensland and working as branch manager for 12 years with the bank at Matamata.

With the move to more online banking Peter has been working closely with clients to build their confidence using software systems including Figured and Xero. With that has come advice on better management of cashflow during the farming year and improving planning for budgeting needs. 

Peter appreciates being able to work with farmer clients to give them financial insights that help them get the best possible returns from their farm business operations.

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Heather Gilbert

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT
DIRECTOR & SHAREHOLDER

Heather grew up on the family farm in the King Country near Waitomo, which she now owns with her brother. Heather studied agriculture at Massey and has worked in various roles in the ag industry starting out in the Genetics Unit with Landcorp Farming Limited, followed by a stint travelling the UK. On her return she followed a passion she has for helping people learn and managed Landcorp’s Future Farmer cadetship, and then worked at Taratahi Training college, before joining the Total Ag team as a consultant in 2015. 

Heather farms with her partner Elliot on their 500ha bull beef property on the slopes of Mount Pirongia at Te Pahu, and they have recently signed up as the Beef and Lamb (BLNZ) Waikato monitor farm. The focus of this project is to get the “three p’s” aligned: planet, people, and profit. 

Heather is also a member of the BLNZ mid Northern North Island Farmer Council. 

At Total Ag Heather plays a key role in helping walk farmer clients and catchment groups through the many twists and turns that accompany environmental compliance, engaging with industry experts and farmers, helping ensure farmers can meet their environmental requirements in practical affordable fashion. 

She enjoys helping farmer clients get the basics right as they move forward in their farming journey while ensuring they have a sustainable, profitable and rewarding business operation. 

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Nick Rolley

Agribusiness Consultant
SHAREHOLDER

Home for Nick and his wife Michelle is their 90ha dry stock property near Lake Karapiro, the achievement of a long-standing goal to one day own their own farm after Nick’s sustained stint in the New Zealand Police force.  

Between them they have invested much time and energy getting their property into shape, including extensively planting the property with natives, fencing, and lifting its water quality as he works along side clients advising on the same thing.

Coming back to the farm was a return to his roots for Nick, having completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Massey University and spending some time consulting prior to joining the force.

His advice is focused on helping clients balance the environmental expectations placed on their farm operations with the need to also maintain profitable farm business operation.

He has had plenty of first-hand experience in achieving both, and enjoys applying that experience to clients’ businesses who need to do the same when they may feel daunted by the prospect of compliance expectations.

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Kerry Bryant

CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER

Every business needs a back-room juggler capable of keeping the wheels on the road, and for Total Ag that juggler is Kerry Bryant. 

Living on her own 140ha dry stock property with husband Jeff  near Arohena in King Country she has little spare time, keeping busy running Total Ag, the farm and helping in the community. 

A long time work mate of Total Ag director Rob Macnab, Kerry appreciates the distances, time and commitment it takes to be a good farm consultant, and works to keep the wheels spinning smoothly for the team of consultants. 

She also plays a vital role in helping Total Ag clients keep up to date with their finances, keeping their finger on the financial button all year round, not just at the end of it.

team_image
Heather Gilbert

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT
DIRECTOR & SHAREHOLDER

Heather grew up on the family farm in the King Country near Waitomo, which she now owns with her brother. Heather studied agriculture at Massey and has worked in various roles in the ag industry starting out in the Genetics Unit with Landcorp Farming Limited, followed by a stint travelling the UK. On her return she followed a passion she has for helping people learn and managed Landcorp’s Future Farmer cadetship, and then worked at Taratahi Training college, before joining the Total Ag team as a consultant in 2015. 

Heather farms with her partner Elliot on their 500ha bull beef property on the slopes of Mount Pirongia at Te Pahu, and they have recently signed up as the Beef and Lamb (BLNZ) Waikato monitor farm. The focus of this project is to get the “three p’s” aligned: planet, people, and profit. 

Heather is also a member of the BLNZ mid Northern North Island Farmer Council. 

At Total Ag Heather plays a key role in helping walk farmer clients and catchment groups through the many twists and turns that accompany environmental compliance, engaging with industry experts and farmers, helping ensure farmers can meet their environmental requirements in practical affordable fashion. 

She enjoys helping farmer clients get the basics right as they move forward in their farming journey while ensuring they have a sustainable, profitable and rewarding business operation. 

team_image
Nick Rolley

Agribusiness Consultant
SHAREHOLDER

Home for Nick and his wife Michelle is their 90ha dry stock property near Lake Karapiro, the achievement of a long-standing goal to one day own their own farm after Nick’s sustained stint in the New Zealand Police force.  

Between them they have invested much time and energy getting their property into shape, including extensively planting the property with natives, fencing, and lifting its water quality as he works along side clients advising on the same thing.

Coming back to the farm was a return to his roots for Nick, having completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Massey University and spending some time consulting prior to joining the force.

His advice is focused on helping clients balance the environmental expectations placed on their farm operations with the need to also maintain profitable farm business operation.

He has had plenty of first-hand experience in achieving both, and enjoys applying that experience to clients’ businesses who need to do the same when they may feel daunted by the prospect of compliance expectations.

team_image
Kerry Bryant

CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER

Every business needs a back-room juggler capable of keeping the wheels on the road, and for Total Ag that juggler is Kerry Bryant. 

Living on her own 140ha dry stock property with husband Jeff  near Arohena in King Country she has little spare time, keeping busy running Total Ag, the farm and helping in the community. 

A long time work mate of Total Ag director Rob Macnab, Kerry appreciates the distances, time and commitment it takes to be a good farm consultant, and works to keep the wheels spinning smoothly for the team of consultants. 

She also plays a vital role in helping Total Ag clients keep up to date with their finances, keeping their finger on the financial button all year round, not just at the end of it.

Contact Total Ag today!

Talk to Total Ag’s consultants about how to make the most of your farm’s profit potential in this volatile, high cost environment.

    Contact Total Ag today!

    Talk to Total Ag’s consultants about how to make the most of your farm’s profit potential in this volatile, high cost environment.

      Contact Total Ag today!

      Talk to Total Ag’s consultants about how to make the most of your farm’s profit potential in this volatile, high cost environment.