For this 25-year-old East Coast farmer, farming is deep in his DNA. Five generations of it, in fact.

“Otapawa Station, the family farm and where I work, has been the ancestral home since the land was settled here,” James Robbie says. 

Set in the steep and rugged foothills of the Puketoi Range, James spends his days mustering sheep, handling stock, and getting stuck in to where his passions lie – on the family Hereford stud.

“I’ve always been brought up in a classic sort of way, a typical rural upbringing. I grew up outside and in the sheep yards, really,” he laughs.

After his primary school closed down, James was sent to boarding school. Though raised in a close-knit rural community, he says his parents consistently exposed him and his sister to the wider world.

“It’s just how we were raised. My mum and dad have always been big on thinking how you represent yourself as a person. I run aspects of the business at the stud, and I think because of that, I’m very marketing focused across all the work.”

Not always a farmer, the 25-year-old had a short stint in the corporate world in Wellington after graduating with a degree in International Relations and Political Science.

“I’d always been told growing up that you’ve got to go out and do something different and challenge yourself. The farm will always be there. But after a few months in an office, the farm is where I wanted to be.”

Moving from Wellington back to the Wairarapa, James has spent the last few years seizing opportunities in New Zealand’s cattle industry. From working on his family’s sheep and beef station, to being invited to judge cattle in Mexico, living on ranch in the US, and volunteering in his local fire brigade, the young farmer has a lot on his plate. 

Adding FMG Young Farmer of the Year to the mix is nothing he can’t handle, he says.

“I give my all to everything, and I’m not afraid of that. I think that’s what makes me a bit of an underdog.

“But as for the competition, I’ve genuinely got no idea what to expect, so I need to school myself up and get some pointers from past contestants.”

Chair of the Puketoi Young Farmers Club, James channels his energy into giving fellow farmers a leg up in the local industry. 

“We have so many amazing farmers coming out of this region, and every time we meet up, they humble me so much with their skills and knowledge. I really hope the other members feel inspired to put their hat in the ring in the future and have a go at their own Grand Final.”

If he won FMG Young Farmer of the Year, the first thing he would do is help change the wider perception of agriculture. 

“I want to live in a New Zealand where the primary sector is really celebrated, where farmers are our champions and we look after the industry as such.”

His mission statement since university has been to increase awareness on “the good stuff we do” and help shape the food and fibre sector.

“I want to promote the fantastic job all the farmers and growers do up and down the country. Yeah, there are challenges at times, and things that set us back. But I think on the whole, there’s room for a lot more good stories and education that can inspire the next generation to get involved.”