He said the trust initially started by paying dividends to shareholders, then moved to providing education grants and most recently, kaumātua (elders) grants.
Returning a profit to the shareholders comes from careful planning, he added.
“We draw up plans production-wise and expectations based on one season from the other and then we look to what is it we’re going to produce; what then can we sell.
“We can’t control what the prices are – we’re at the mercy of the processors, but we can control what we produce.”
Another important part was having a “yardstick to measure our success”.
For Maag, this meant “benchmarking” to help when explaining farm operations and results to the shareholders.
“It’s about managing expectations,” he said.
“I can go, ‘hey, how come we didn’t produce that many [lambs]? What happened? What went wrong? Did you miss a paddock with the ram or something?’ You know, whatever it might be.
“But if you don’t have anything in writing, then you’re just flying by the seat of your pants.”
Key focus areas for the farm include integrating technology, such as new eShepherd virtual fencing collars from Gallagher. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
The Pukepoto Trust farm joined Beef and Lamb’s Hub Farm Programme in October 2025.
The programme follows a farm business over several years to help farmers see what change looks like over time in a real system.
Maag said he hoped the programme would help with providing more detailed data as part of the trust’s own benchmarking processes.
Dozens of utes packed into a paddock next to the woolshed, with farmers eager to hear about the key to success at Pukepoto. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
“With the hub farm, we’re going to be able to get accurate measurements around grass growth,” he said.
“We’ve got an idea historically because [of] our irrometer [a tool used to measure soil moisture] and knowing how many sheep we’ve had, ‘oh yeah, we’ll be right’. We know the rainfall.
“But this is going to provide real live data that we can then go ... yeah, we were pretty accurate.”
Pukepoto Farm Trust farm manager Terry Head (left) speaking with Darren McNae from AgFirst. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
It’s also about providing tested data and information for future generations, he said.
“At some point, someone’s going to replace us.
“I see the hub farm and the learning from the hub farmers, essentially going to be able to provide information [to] the new trustees who come along, who may not have a greater knowledge in farming, but have a lot of understanding in governance and finance.”
On the bright autumn day Country Life visited, about 80 farmers, trustees and other rural professionals turned out for the field day where early results were shared.
Meaning "little hill", Pukepoto hides the true nature of this rugged hill country farm. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
“It feels really great to be up there among top performing farms in the district.”
Trust chairwoman Aloma Shearer said there were wider benefits to being part of the programme too.
“It’s about bringing other people, sharing knowledge that you have with other farmers about performance and what we do here, what can help others, that sort of thing.
“I’m just hoping that what we’ve got to share with farmers here today, with the industry, is going to be helpful for what their plans are for the future.”
The field day highlighted how the trust was lifting performance through genetics, making better land-use decisions and integrating technology like the new eShepherd virtual fencing collars from Gallagher.
“We’re always looking for an edge just to get ahead, to make more money, grow more grass,” she said.
