Rooted in the Land, Driven by Purpose
The story of Pye Group is not simply one of diversification, expansion or efficiency. It is, at its heart a story of commitment to the land, to the people, to communities and to doing things properly.
A Central Feeds delivery on the move - reliable transport and trusted service keeping the region’s farms supplied.
A family-owned and operated enterprise with deep roots in Mid and South Canterbury, Pye Group has evolved into a multifaceted agricultural business spanning dairying, cropping, vegetable production, feed supply, contracting, grazing and transport. Its growth has not come at the expense of integrity or connection. Instead, it reflects a grounded and deliberate pursuit of excellence driven by owners Leighton and Michelle Pye and supported by a loyal team and a clear sense of purpose.
Leighton and Michelle remain hands-on in the business. Leighton oversees the entire operation, ensuring every moving part runs as smoothly as the next, while Michelle balances her responsibilities within the business with her involvement in wider industry and community roles. Their children now young adults are exploring their own paths, but the heart of the family continues to beat through the business. At its core Pye Group is about growing people and communities from the ground up and that ethos informs every decision and direction.
Across all the work the business does, from its baling and cultivation to its dairying and transport, one theme comes through consistently - the value of people. Whether it's the drivers hauling feed across the region, the contractors delivering precision cultivation services or the staff managing dairy herds, the team at Pye Group operates as a collective. There is a shared belief in mucking in, supporting one another, taking pride in the job and doing the right thing even when no one is watching. That culture doesn’t happen by accident. It is nurtured through leadership, through example and through a day-to-day operational environment where values matter as much as productivity.
“We’re really proud of the business we have been able to create but acknowledge we could not have done this without the great team of people we have around us,” says Leighton. “We have a number of people that have been part of the wider Pye Group for over 20 years, including our equity partners in Central Feeds, Ken and Cushla Caird. Having great people on the ground has enabled us to work on growing our business. One of the key things that has helped us to do this successfully is ensuring our team share our values, which are really all about being decent people who look after others and support the community that supports us. The diversity of our operations has been another key factor in our success. All the parts of the business complement each other and create efficiencies, keeping people and equipment busy year-round.”
Pye Group has embedded its guiding principles into everything it does. A positive attitude, teamwork, integrity and working smarter are more than just aspirational words they are lived realities. The team takes pride in going the extra mile, finding solutions and keeping things grounded. They celebrate success together and look out for each other, ensuring people can bring their best selves to work each day. There is a deep respect for the land, the people who work it and the communities they serve and this mindset sits at the heart of their continued success.
While the diversity of the business is impressive, it is not diversity for its own sake. Each element fits into a broader system designed to maximise productivity, safeguard the environment and provide opportunities for people to grow their skills and careers.
Central Feeds, the stock feed and contracting business operated by Leighton and Michelle alongside Ken and Cushla Caird adds another layer of capability. Built over 25 years, it now offers everything from cultivation and silage to fodder beet harvesting and feed sales. The company deals directly with farmers buying and selling feed, ensuring transactions are straightforward, reliable and tailored to the unique needs of each client. Whether it’s baleage, straw, silage, or feed wheat and barley, Central Feeds ensures quality, timely delivery and trusted service.
What makes Central Feeds particularly valuable is its flexibility. For example, selling standing feed directly off the paddock gives farmers a way to monetise surplus while managing cash flow. The company also offers independently feed-tested silage and a range of baleage options, including grass, lucerne and cereal bales for everything from wintering to milking. With a strong supply chain of straw sourced across South and Mid Canterbury and a robust trading platform for feed wheat and barley, Central Feeds is well-positioned as a vital link in the region’s farming economy.
Harvested fodder beet has become an increasingly important feed option, offering high energy and flexibility across wintering systems. Central Feeds has recognised this demand and supplies harvested beet in volume, helping clients manage transitions on and off beet paddocks with confidence. It’s just one of several product lines that reflect the team’s responsiveness to what farmers actually need, not just what’s easy to sell.
On the contracting side, Pye Group is well-known for its high-quality baling service. With over 25 years of experience, it has become a backbone of the business offering a full end-to-end service across silage, straw and hay. Modern machinery is essential to this and the fleet includes equipment from John Deere and Fendt, with everything from triple mowers to big square and round balers, tube wrappers, four and two rotor rakes and telehandlers operating at full stretch during peak times.
The contracting division doesn’t stop at baling. Forage harvesting is another key strength, with the business offering a comprehensive silage service from mowing through to stack covering. The Claas Jaguar forage harvesters are fitted with high-spec features, including in-built moisture meters, while the addition of a certified mobile weighbridge ensures clients can track weights with precision. It’s a level of detail and professionalism that characterises the Pye approach - blending practical know-how with technological investment.
The cultivation and drilling services are equally forward-thinking. With equipment like the Vaderstad Tempo planter and Amazone Ceus cultivators and with GPS technology used to enhance accuracy, the team can deliver outstanding results for clients growing everything from fodder beet and maize to small seeds and cereals. Whether using a direct drill or roller drill, the goal remains the same - to give each crop the best possible start and to support the productivity of farms across the region. It is no surprise that demand for this service continues to grow.
The cultivation fleet is wide-ranging and includes modern kit such as an Amazone Catros 8-metre disc cultivator, He-Va rippers, eight-furrow reversible ploughs, six-metre drills with tyre rollers and harrows, a three-metre striptill and a six-metre land leveller. This combination of equipment gives the business the flexibility to respond to a wide range of cropping needs, from conventional to conservation approaches and everything in between.
Alongside feed and contracting services, the Pye Group has a rich history in cropping and vegetable production. The potato operation dates back over 60 years to when Leighton’s father, Allan Pye first began growing spuds while still at school. Today the cropping division continues that legacy with scale and precision. Most of the potatoes are grown on the group’s two farms near Rakaia and are processed by McCain in Timaru. With a planting window from September to October and a harvesting period that stretches from February to June, this is a disciplined and demanding part of the business executed with care and efficiency.
Carrots, too, are a major crop. Each year the group grows around 24,000 tonnes of carrots for Juice Products NZ, mostly in Mid Canterbury. After harvesting, the carrots are washed at one of two on-farm facilities before being delivered to the juicing plant in Timaru. In total the group grows roughly 13,000 tonnes of wheat, 5,400 tonnes of barley, 1,500 tonnes of clover and other small seeds and even includes process peas within the rotation.
Grazing forms an essential part of the system, particularly for the dairy operation. All replacement stock is grazed year-round across various blocks, including areas around Rangitata and Raincliff, managed by a dedicated Young Stock team. These staff members are responsible not just for feeding stock but for ensuring their health, performance and welfare which ultimately feeds back into the productivity of the dairy herds.
The dairy operations themselves are run to a high standard. Pye Group employs a number of contract milkers who manage farms with tailored farm environment plans and consent conditions. Each dairy unit is managed with attention to environmental performance and long-term sustainability. All farms supply Fonterra, reflecting the group’s commitment to supporting New Zealand’s farmer-owned co-operative.
There are currently ten main dairy units within the group. Barnscroft Dairy purchased in 2018, milks 900 cows using both well water and supply from the MHV Water irrigation scheme. Cloverdene Dairy owned since 2006, is a large operation milking 1,850 cows and supported by multiple spray irrigation systems and deep well water. Dialan Dairy the group’s first conversion, now operates as two 700-cow farms on Rangitata Island Road. Grantlea Dairy a 780-hectare property on State Highway 79, has been developed into three separate farms, each milking 900 cows. South Stream Dairy, also on Rangitata Island Road uses a 60-bail rotary to milk 1,050 cows and features fertigation capability. Straven Dairy Ltd borders the Rangitata River and began milking in 2014, supported by five centre pivots and water from the Rangitata South Irrigation Scheme. Finally, Highfield Dairy located near Rakaia milks 1,050 cows under centre pivot irrigation.
Across all these farms, Pye Group’s environmental credentials are strong. The company employs an Environmental Compliance and Enhancement Manager who works closely with the teams on the ground. The goal is not just to meet compliance standards but to go beyond them. This includes managing consent conditions, implementing detailed farm environment plans and achieving A grades in audits. Fertiliser application is managed carefully in partnership with Ravensdown, using Proof of Placement systems and the Hawkeye platform to monitor nutrient inputs and create buffer zones that protect sensitive areas.
Water use is another priority and the business uses soil moisture sensors and variable rate irrigation on some properties to ensure efficiency. These systems enable smarter decision-making around irrigation timing and volume, which not only saves water but also protects soil structure and promotes crop health. On-farm ponds, centre pivots and spray systems are managed with the same level of precision and care that runs through all aspects of the group’s operation.
Transport plays a vital supporting role in tying the business together. The group operates a fleet of fifteen trucks with a team of drivers, a dispatcher and a dedicated transport manager. The mix of Volvo and Mercedes-Benz vehicles reflects a careful choice based on terrain, load types and efficiency. The transport team moves everything from grain, fertiliser and straw to processed vegetables, silage and hay - an essential link in the supply chain giving the business reliability and control over timing and presentation. These trucks are more than just logistics tools. They are rolling advertisements for the brand, representing the Pye name as they travel the roads of Mid and South Canterbury.
At every level of the business, from machinery choice to staff development, from crop rotations to compliance strategy, there is purpose behind the practice. This is not a business chasing headlines or trying to reinvent the wheel. It is a business that knows its land, its people and its role in the broader fabric of rural New Zealand. That clarity, that grounded approach, is what makes Pye Group one of the most respected names in the region.