During the Rural Roadie, Matt and Wade sat down with Taranaki dairy farmer, Dave England, to explore his transition from engineering to dairy farm ownership. At 28, Dave and wife, Hollie made the decision to enter the dairy industry, advancing from a 200-cow lower order role to managing a 600-cow operation within a year. By intentionally working with progressive farmers, Dave rapidly developed his skills and built the equity needed to step into a 310 cow 50/50 sharemilking role.  His disciplined approach to budgeting and consistent delivery on financial projections earned the banks' trust and laid the foundation for future growth.

Now at the helm of a high-performing System 5 dairy operation with 1000 cows and newly acquired land, Dave shares the strategies that have shaped his success. He emphasises the importance of proactively seeking opportunities, maintaining strong financial literacy, and surrounding yourself with a trusted team. Listeners will walk away with practical advice: know your numbers, treat every farm as your own, and build a reputation that opens doors in the farming community.