Talking Farming Tech & Innovation Futures with Melissa Baer

Join us for a classic Tarata morning tea and a great chat at Tarata Hall with Melissa Baer — a farmer, entrepreneur and ag-tech innovator who truly understands life on the land.

Melissa’s done it all — milking cows, filling in compliance paperwork, and sitting in boardrooms designing tools with farmers, not just for them. She’s been through the same challenges many of us face — changing rules, rising costs, family farm pressures, and trying to figure out which new bit of tech (if any!) is actually worth the money.

In this relaxed, interactive session, Melissa will share what’s working, what’s not, and how to move forward with confidence. She’ll talk about things like:

• Using tech to make compliance easier — for example, tools that help with mapping or tracking stock movements without spending all day at a computer.

• Balancing tradition and innovation — keeping what works from the old ways while trying new ideas that make life easier.

• Planning for the future — thinking ahead about family succession and how the next generation can thrive on the land.

• Staying strong through change — finding ways to adapt, look after yourself, and spot opportunities even when the rules keep shifting.

Do you have any challenges and concerns you like to discuss on the day? that's fine too - feel free to give us advance notice at marcia.millard@gmx.com

This isn’t a lecture or a sales pitch — it’s a friendly chat among farmers, neighbours and friends.

There’ll be time for questions, plenty of ideas to share, and of course, a proper Tarata morning tea. You’ll head home with a few practical tips and maybe a new way of looking at things.

☕ Morning tea provided
📍 Venue: Tarata Hall, 1757 Tarata Road
🕘 Time: 10:30 Morning tea and catch up - 11am - 1pm content (unless finished earlier.
🎟️ Free event — all welcome, but please register for catering numbers.

Hosted by the Tarata Catchment Group, this is part of our ongoing work to bring local farmers, lifestyles and landowners together to share knowledge, strengthen our community, and support practical, positive change in the rural sector.

Who is Melissa Bear? We asked her this questions and apart from learning she has love of farming, tech, innovation and Taranaki she also told us the following - read on you'll be amazed.

·      Her Farming Roots: Grass fed beef, Organic artisan milk, eggs and arable crops for export in Ontario Canada.

·       She is a Founder of a Meat distribution and marketing company – founded 22 years ago (still runs today)

·       She has been an Agriculture tourism operator – 4 years, over 400 guests, prepared a 5-course meal and delivered agriculture education to an urban audience.

·      She is a Tech Founder: Created Backstory Services, which builds solutions for the agriculture sector and some of New Zealand’s most trusted agriculture brands from government to fertilizer to meat and dairy and horticulture.

·       Currently a Director – Serving on the board of Levno (milk monitoring), Trust Alliance NZ (serves the primary sector with pre commercial Data that helps farmers)  and previously on NZ Tech Board.

·       She has been both Sides of the Fence: She is familiar with 'what do you mean compliance is changing again' frustrations; also with what it's like convincing funders, designing tech, running pilots, iterating under real‑world conditions.

Not Afraid to Have Hard Conversations: Melissa doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff — the financial trade-offs, the regulatory fatigue, or the generational divides that can stall progress. She knows that real change only happens when we’re brave enough to talk about what’s uncomfortable. Growing up Mennonite (Amish) — in what she calls an “anti-tech world” — she’s been having these conversations since she was 12. It’s in her DNA to bridge worlds, challenge assumptions, and keep people talking when the going gets tough.

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissabaer/

Company Website: www.backstoryservices.com

(spin out company) Saas Product Website: www.backstorytech.com