About

Nature never stands still, and nor does FarmChief.

Great Grandpa with Harvestor, when FarmChief was Murray Implements

THE FARMCHIEF STORY

Even in the 1940s, our founder Peter Murray, founder of Murray Implement Company, saw the potential.

Coming from an agricultural background, he began his working life as a dairy hand. He built up his agricultural knowledge, progressing to the workshop, as a diesel mechanic, and then on to tractor and implement sales.

Over the next 24 years Peter worked for companies including P & D Duncan and International Harvester Company before taking the opportunity to go out on his own. In 1975, the company began in the backyard of Peter’s Innes Road home; specialising in selling and servicing farm equipment.

 

FarmChief today, new building with carpark and lawn. Murray Agricultural Equipment, no more!

ONWARDS AND UPWARD

The business expanded rapidly and soon moved to Mill Road Ohoka, which still stands today. From here it served the North Canterbury, Central Canterbury and West Coast regions, selling Duncan Drills, Ploughs, Cultivators and discs also UFO and Taarup Mowers, along with a wide range of used equipment. With Peter’s sons, Anthony, and Grant Murray employed, the business expanded until it was serving the greater South Island. And, the North Island too.

The third Murray generation is now actively involved in the company and helps both innovate and maintain its heritage and commitment to clients.

Now, FarmChief is one of New Zealand’s leaders in quality agriculture implements, service and advice. Our tagline; Implements for the Best Farmers in the World, reflects our commitment to helping dedicated Kiwis feed people here, and around the globe.

Meet the Team

Grant Murray

Chief Executive Officer

grant@farmchief.co.nz

Call Grant today: 03 349 4450

Anthony Murray

Director & Sales

anthony@farmchief.co.nz

Call Anthony today: 03 748 1595

Clarinda Mckechie

Chief Operating Officer

admin@farmchief.co.nz

Call Clarinda today:03 349 4450

Todd Murray

Sales Manager

todd@farmchief.co.nz

Call Todd today: 021 228 5677

Matt McKillop - FarmChief Palmerston North

Matt Mckillop

Sales – Manawatu

matt@farmchief.co.nz

Call Matt today: 021 820 046

Ben Abernethy

Sales – Otago & Southland

ben@farmchief.co.nz

Call Ben today: 03 748 1464

Logan Murray

Sales – Canterbury

logan@farmchief.co.nz

Call Logan today: 03 961 2257

Scott Murray

Sales – Otago & Southland

scott@farmchief.co.nz

Call Scott today: 03 748 1447

Alan Ogden - FarmChief Machinery Specialist - Waikato

Alan Ogden 

Sales – Waikato

alano@farmchief.co.nz

Call Alan today: 027 280 4892

James Steans - FarmChief Christchurch Parts Department

James Steans

Parts – Canterbury & North Island 

partschch@farmchief.co.nz

Call James today: 021 928 958

Josh Gardyne 

Parts – Southland

joshua@farmchief.co.nz  

Call Josh today: 03 748 1460

Brent Burgess

National Product and Service Manager

brent@farmchief.co.nz

Call Brent today: 021 228 5373

Houston Harris

Technical Service Support

houston@farmchief.co.nz

Call Houston today: 022 181 4422 

Sue O’Brien

Accounts

accounts@farmchief.co.nz

Call Sue today: 03 347 3530

Alan Kerr

Service Manager – Christchurch

service@farmchief.co.nz

Call Alan today: 027 280 4892

FarmChief Machinery - Aaron Watt - Service Manager , Southland & Otago

Aaron Watt

Service Manager – Otago & Southland

aaronw@farmchief.co.nz

Call Aaron today: 027 425 8423

Cameron Smith

Cameron Smith

Marketing Manager

cameron@farmchief.co.nz

Grant’s view

Grant and Nikki Kearins have a 230 ha dairy farm at Kairanga, on the outskirts of Palmerston North on flat, heavy to medium country.

Grant said he’d been looking around for some power harrows and thought FALC had a lot of good features. That initial impression has been confirmed by their performance. “It goes really well. The big diameter packer roller just keeps working through.”The 5 metre power harrows are currently used across around 50 hectares of the farm. “I had the horse power, so I decided to go for it. It certainly covers the ground.” “It seems well built and reliable.  All around, a nice, reliable machine.”

- Power Harrow

Brendon's view

Brendon Hargest farms 360ha on a family partnership sheep and beef property near Gore which varies from rolling to some steeper terrain. Brendon says the rocky terrain is very hard on gear but the discs have Brendon’s endorsement. “They’re really, really good. We’re pleased with how they’re going – they’re robust and simple to use. They were pretty competitively priced too. “They dig in well and leave a nice, level finish. We’re getting a good depth out of them.”

- APL Offset Discs

Profiline Slurry Tanker

Colin's view

Colin Molloy runs a 420-sow piggery, along with 130 hectares of cropping and livestock, in Sheffield, Canterbury with two large effluent ponds.
Although it was the advanced hydraulics that first drew Colin to his Veenhuis Profiline 16600 litre Slurry Tanker, he is also acutely aware of the need to successfully manage environmental issues and soil fertility. The tanker enables him to recycle the nutrient-dense manure and reduce odour in one go.
His tanker injects the effluent back into the soil providing a great start for barley, wheat, and pasture and removing the nuisance normally associated with conventional “broadcast” systems.

- Veenhuis Slurry Tankers

Doug’s view.

Caldwell Contracting have been leaders in their field for over 20 years, covering all aspects of agriculture from silage to wood chipping to cultivation and effluent management and spreading. You can learn more at www.caldwellcontracting.co.nz Doug Caldwell says the substantial family business, which operates out of Edendale, Southland, is constantly looking for innovations in effluent management and understand the needs of the dairy farmers they work with. “The Storth Mega Mix has been good. It’s safer and faster than others. And it’s definitely better than conventional stirrers. “We use it for mixing all ponds and also loading our transport tankers.”

- Storth Mega Mix

Eddie’s view.

Eddie Rabbitt is the manager of Rabco Ag – a large-scale contracting business based in Western Southland. Eddie reckons the Mega Mix provides a better result in terms of getting solids out of the pond, and with the canon breaking up the surface. The company uses the Mega Mix wherever they are called to a slurry job. “It works a treat.” He’s also putting in a good word for the FarmChief parts and technical support team. “It’s a good service and they get things done on time.” To see more details on Rabco, visit www.rabbitt.co.nz

- Storth Mega Mix

Tony’s View.

Fisken Contracting, based in Gore, can tackle fairly much any job there is. From lane maintenance to cartage, baling to logging. Tony Fisken backs umbilical slurry systems because of their efficiency and the fact that they’ll work at high volumes and in conditions where slurry tankers simply can’t. “There’s little or no compaction of laneways or paddocks and it’s a very effective way of moving large amounts of nutrient.” Tony says the system is especially good on softer soils, (and on the shoulder seasons) where tankers could get stuck, as there are only the hoses to be placed down and reeled in. His business works with umbilical on distances up to, and even exceeding 2kms, which, Tony says, accommodates most properties. Some farmers find it so effective they choose not to use their own systems at all. “They just give us a call.”

- Storth Umbilical

Stuart's view

Stuart Briant is a third generation commercial grower, working flat to rolling country in Gisborne. His crops include seed maize, squash, sweet corn, and maize. He says he was convinced it was worth buying when he first saw the implement being demonstrated. Stuart says he especially appreciates the way it helps protect the soil structure, and promotes healthy growth and increased production. “We like the job it’s doing.”

- Tine Plow

Barry’s view

Barry Lawry farms 200 cows on 78 hectares in Te Awamutu on heavy, rolling country. In addition, he contracts and sub-contracts using his Harry West 3000 Dual Spreader. Barry credits the spreader with giving him an additional avenue into contracting. His original Harry West Spreader saw out about 20 years hard work. And he’s now bought a second. Which, as he says “must say something about them.” Barry collects mostly from weeping walls, herd homes, and separators, then spreads the nutrients back on the paddocks where they belong.

- West Dual Muck Spreader

Andy’s view

Wheatstone Farms Ltd is a well-established 500Ha cropping and store stock property based 10 minutes from Tinwald. Andy has chosen to buy his last three augers from FarmChief including, most recently, a 1370 Backsaver: “I wouldn’t have done it if they were no good!” “The brand is awesome and the back-up is brilliant. They even brought us out a part when we broke down on a public holiday.” Andy says the beauty of the Backsaver is that you can just pull up beside it, making unloading easy and improving safety: vital at busy times and at night.

- Backsaver Grain Auger