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Dairying runs deep in Ian Butler's veins. His grandparents operated a Jersey stud, and his mother's family, the Hitchcocks, were born in Southland, milking over 100 cows in the 1920s. “I come from a long line of innovative farmers,” Ian proudly shares. His agricultural journey began in the orchards of Otago, followed by sheep farming in Southland. Ian then moved to Taranaki with his wife, where he embarked on his dairying career, managing an 800-cow farm. Following this, he share-milked for 10 years in Taranaki and the Waikato. During this time, Ian and his wife developed a passion for showcasing their journey, learnings, and successes through the Farm Manager and then Share-milker of the Year contest, achieving notable success over the years.

Following a period of share milking in Cambridge, Ian joined DairyNZ in a role he thoroughly enjoyed. “For me, it was about helping farmers every day,” he says. Eventually, the opportunity arose for Ian to return to Southland. While still working for DairyNZ, he connected with SDH, supporting research and extension. Ian has a passion for the dairy sector and how “it always pushes boundaries,” particularly its continuous innovation and growth through demonstration, ITO, science, and research. When the SDH farm manager role became available, Ian saw it as the perfect fit for his passion and expertise.