Talking Farming Tech & Innovation Futures with Melissa Baer

Join us for a legendary Tarata morning tea and great conversation at Tarata Hall with Melissa Baer — a farmer, entrepreneur, and ag-tech innovator who knows first-hand the realities of life on the land.

Melissa’s journey spans from milking cows and managing compliance paperwork to sitting in boardrooms designing tools for farmers, with farmers. She’s faced the same frustrations many of us know too well — ever-changing regulations, the pressure to do more with less, family succession challenges, and trying to decide which new technology (if any!) is actually worth investing in.

In this interactive session, Melissa will share her honest take on what’s working, what’s not, and how to move forward with confidence. She’ll cover topics like:

• Using tech to simplify compliance — what’s real, what’s hype.

• Balancing tradition and innovation — how to make smart decisions for your business.

• The future of farming and succession — how the next generation can thrive.

• Finding agency in a changing sector — building resilience and opportunity even when the rules keep shifting.

This isn’t a lecture — it’s a relaxed chat among farmers, neighbours and peers, with plenty of time for questions, discussion and idea-sharing. You’ll leave with practical insights, a sense of connection, and maybe even a fresh perspective on how to make change work for you.

☕ 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