George Letham has unfinished business but is ready to wrap things up with a win.

The 27-year-old farmer came second to Young Farmer of the Year Season 56 winner George Dodson in last year’s Tasman Regional Final. Currently on the leaderboard this season, there’s nothing stopping the young dairy farmer going for gold at the Grand Final in July.

“I’m super proud of George Dodson and what he’s done, but it did kind of leave me with a bit of unfinished business,” he laughs.

Following the farming pathway from a very young age, George grew up on the banks of Rakaia on the Canterbury Plains. It was his parents who encouraged him to get involved on the family farm.

“I embraced that and became really passionate about who farmers are and how rural communities work.”

George spent his early twenties at Lincoln University studying towards a degree in Agricultural Science before working at PGG Wrightson Seeds. 

Returning to his roots, he ran his family farm for two years and recently completed a graduate programme with Fonterra, where he now works as a Farmer Support and Relationship Advisor.

“I miss being out on the farm, but I do still have a finger on the pulse with how the business is done. I’m lucky that I can still be pretty hands on with my family’s farm on the weekends, while working a job that gets me out into the community,” he says.

“One day the dream would be to go back there and have a crack at it myself.”

Last year, George threw his hat in the ring for first time at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year, and he wasn’t shy to admit he’d had no idea what to expect.

“Getting second last year showed me what I was capable of, and this year with a bit of preparation, what I have the capability to do when I push myself hard enough.” 

When it comes to mentorship, George says it takes a village and feels lucky to have a great support network who are keen to help with his training, particularly his parents.

“They’ve been fully behind me and really supportive. They use a tough love approach and highlight my weak points and things I need to work on,” he laughs.

The young farmer also takes his hat off to the event organisers and sponsors that keep the competition running.

“Without them it really would just be a bunch of passionate young people digging fence posts in a paddock. Young Farmers gives us an opportunity to connect and be recognised both by our peers and around New Zealand.”

Noting the great competition this year, he hopes his well-rounded base of practical skills and theory will see him to the top.

“I've run the farm for a couple of years, I can drive machinery, I’m good on the tools and I’ve got a foot in the professional world with my current job. I’m hoping I can lean into all those things to secure a win.”

While George isn’t “counting his chickens before they hatch”, if he won the title, he’d use the opportunity to have an influence on the dairy industry and see more young people get into agriculture and farming.

“Farming doesn’t always get the best rep, so I’d like to do my part to rewrite the record and put it on the map as a really cool thing for young people to get into.”

“I come from these rural communities, and I just love them so much, so I’d like to put that on display for the rest of New Zealand.”