John Donkers

Strategic Planning and Management

I was involved in the initial establishment of the Camden Group dairy farming business.

My role in the business today is to provide specific dairy farm business consultancy and strategic planning services to Camden through my consultancy business Dairy Farm Management Services Ltd, which also provides these services to other dairy farmers.

I have become actively involved in irrigation issues and am currently deputy chairman of Irrigation New Zealand, which is establishing a leadership role in all aspects of irrigation, but particularly in advocating for irrigated agriculture. I am also a director of Central Plains Water Ltd (CPWL), which is proposing to construct a large irrigation scheme on the Central Plains of Canterbury. The Chiswick, Willsden and Prairie farms lie within the scheme area and are shareholders of CPWL.

I have a degree in Agriculture Science (1981) from Lincoln University.

I live near Geraldine in South Canterbury with my Partner Nicky Sheed and our son Tomas.

When not working I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my four year-old son. I am an armchair critic of most sports, especially rugby, and keep an eye on Newcastle United in the English Premier League. I must read a newspaper and listen or watch the news every day. I have been captured by Sudoku; I like good coffee and beer, wine and food.

John Donkers