Local network and farming background create an early advantage for a career embedded in Northland.

Kurtis Danks is a Northland local through and through.

When he started as a PGG Wrightson beef, dairy and sheep livestock representative based in Wellsford in July 2025, he had no previous experience in a sales role. However, in almost 12 months since, he’s more than made up for that with his local network and farming background.

“I’m quite a reserved person. This job has made me come out of my shell, though it’s been great.”

Kurtis reckons being a livestock rep revolves around communication. Direct out of school he went dairy farming for six years, followed by another six spreading fertiliser for a rural contractor, meaning less emphasis on communication earlier in his career.

“I never really had to speak with clients before. I’ve had to step up, not being too shy to make the calls I need to make. In this role as well I’m organising everything. It’s the first time I’ve had to manage my own time.”

Twelve years membership of Young Farmers, including serving on the local committee; chairing Northland, the region from the bridge to the Cape for two years; and competing at district and regional levels, with a best result of third in the regionals in 2025, helped develop Kurtis as a communicator.

Motivation to work in the livestock sector comes from further back in his history. Kurtis’s mother’s parents Lawrie and Doreen Richards had a dairy farm at Tomarata. Meanwhile his other grandfather, Trevor Danks, was a livestock agent for more than 40 years.

“Although I never knew my grandfather, my father Ross always talked about what a great career he had. Dad was a telephone linesman himself, though always encouraged me to go into the livestock industry.”

Shortly after Ross died in March last year, the role Kurtis now has came up.

“Our family has known Bernie McGahan, who is now my boss, for many years. When this opportunity arose, thinking about my father, and his father, I really wanted the job, so just went for it.”

Predominantly beef country, though also with plenty of dairy, Kurtis is totally at home in the latter and has enough experience on the farms of mates to know what to look for when buying or selling cattle.

“Being able to listen to someone and understanding what they want from their farm gives you a good feel for the stock they need. Meeting those requirements can take time and patience, though being part of the PGG Wrightson network is a big advantage that, so far, has served me and my clients well,” he says.

Taking over an existing client list right away, Kurtis’s patch covers Warkworth, Tomarata, Wellsford, Helensville and South Head. Being on the northern fringe of Auckland provides some challenges.

“Land in this area is mainly small blocks, lifestyle blocks that might carry two or three animals. That can be a logistical challenge, buying a lot of ten cattle and sharing them out between several different clients. With the city set to continue to grow, that is not going to change in the future.”

Kurtis also sees the evolution of technology impacting on raising, buying and selling livestock.

“That’s already happening with Halter starting to get going and take over on many farms. No doubt different types of advancement are also coming down the line. For me, that’s a good thing. I’ve always been able to keep up with it,” says Kurtis.

Kurtis and his wife Molly live in Warkworth with their 18-month-old daughter Dorothea and another on the way. Due to age out of Young Farmers next year, Kurtis spends a fair amount of his free time playing at the Wellsford Squash Club, where he’s been a member for 25 years. He’s also keen on fishing, heading out to the Kaipara Harbour whenever the opportunity arises.

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