CHRIS GARLAND - Agribusiness Consultant

BIOGRAPHY

Photo of Chris Garland
Having grown up in Wellington, Chris became interested in agriculture through working on relations’ farms as a teenager. Choosing a career in advisory work seemed to be the best way of combining a farming-related occupation with a tertiary qualification.

In 1979 Chris completed a Batchelor of Agricultural Science with first class honours at Massey University and was awarded a Massey Scholarship to carry out post-graduate studies (but enough was enough!). Chris began work as a farm management consultant in the Wairarapa with the MAF advisory service in 1980.

In 1986 he joined David Baker to form Baker & Associates in March 1996. Chris is currently one of four shareholder/directors of Baker & Associates (Wairarapa) Ltd and chairs the board. As well as consulting to farms and agribusinesses, Chris is the editor of the AgLetter, a weekly subscription-based publication that enjoys nation-wide circulation.

Chris’s role as an agribusiness consultant has evolved to focus on business governance and business growth. There is a strong emphasis on 5-10 year planning. Human resource management is a speciality area that has helped develop the Employment Services Bureau, a subsidiary business within Baker & Associates.

As well as being a shareholder / chairman of Baker & Associates (Wairarapa) and providing agribusiness consultancy, Chris sits on mentor groups for various research initiatives such as the “Wise use of Nitrogen” trial series and the “Feed Budgeting Working Group”, in conjunction with AgResearch. Chris has also been the facilitator of three Wairarapa Monitor Farm programmes. Chris is the facilitator of five farm business groups and is the Executive of the nation-wide Pastoral Management Group.

Current associations include being a member of the Wellington/Wairarapa branch of The New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management, the New Zealand Grassland Association, the Masterton South Rotary Club and the Southern North Island Sheep Council.

At home Cheryll, who is also a primary school teacher, manages Chris along with three active teenagers. Chris’s interests include road cycling, boating, fishing, motor-cross and flying (PPL). When the work is done, you’ll find Chris at Castlepoint beach.