The Waikato’s second largest dairy farm, Waikeria Prison’s farm provides prisoners with employment skills, training and formal qualifications that will help them to gain sustainable work once they are released.

On the farm at Waikeria

Run by Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE), the farm is divided into five farming units - three dairy farms, a cropping unit, and a calf-rearing unit.

In a recent visit to the prison, Minister of Corrections Hon Damien O’Connor and MP Sue Moroney saw first hand what’s going on at one of New Zealand’s largest prisons.

Since 1997 the farm has increased its milk production three-fold to 1500 kg of milk solids per hectare and now around 15,000 prisoner work hours are worked each month.

Prisoners are encouraged to complete courses as part of their training, such as dairy farming, fencing, all terrain vehicle, tractor, agrochemical and chainsaw safety.

Andy Barr, CIE Site Operations Manager, says the Minister was able to talk to prisoners and staff in detail about their work on the farm.

“He knows about farming, and the prisoners were keen to talk with him about their plans to work in agriculture on release, and how the skills learnt on the farm will help stop them from re-offending,” he says.

The Minister, accompanied by acting Regional Manager Gavin Dalziel and Prison Manager Liz Nielsen, also visited Waikeria’s Youth Unit. The Minister spoke with the Reintegration Coordinator whose work focuses on helping prisoners prepare for their reintegration into the community, by addressing problems that are likely to increase their risk of reoffending after release.

This involves working with government and community agencies to address the many needs youth have on release. They also spoke with the focus facilitator who works with the young offenders in the unit addressing their offending.

WAIKERIA FARM: THE STATS

• Staff: 24 staff members, who are trained Corrections Officers. Around 70 prisoners work daily in farm-related activities.
• Total farm area: 1080ha
• Cropping area: 234ha, growing maize and grass for silage.
• Dairy: Three separate dairy farms with rotary and herringbone milking sheds.
• Animals: 3,300 Friesian and Friesian cross cows. Up to 430 calves in sheds and another 300 on grass.
• Calf rearing: Four large sheds hold up to 430 calves. Capacity for up to 300 calves on 15ha of grassland. Bull beef calves are sold at 4 days old. Dairy replacements are sent to Tongariro/Rangipo and Hawke’s Bay Prisons at weaning and return to Waikeria as heifers, pre-calving.

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ISSN 1178-8453

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