Lindsay Whyte: Leaving his legacy at the end of an era
Sunday, 04 December, 2022
Lindsay Whyte wishes he’d joined Gallagher as a younger man. That’s a helluva statement considering he began working for the company more than two decades ago. The 5th November marked exactly 21 years since he started. It was also the day Lindsay called time on his career and headed into retirement.
Life before Gallagher
Before joining the team, Lindsay and his wife Jan were farming in central Southland. It was the mid-80s and life took a bad turn for people living off the land. Interest rates ballooned and incomes crashed as government subsidies were cut. Crippling debt followed and many farmers were forced off their generational land. Lyndsay recalls those years.
“People went broke. I remember interest rates at 27%, which was unbearable if you were carrying a lot of debt, and many farmers were. Banks were cutting off credit and they began foreclosing the mortgages of farmers who couldn’t keep up with repayments.
“I was working three jobs, seven days a week to keep us afloat. From 7.30am till 4.30pm I was at the meat works. When that was done, I’d head to the shearing sheds for a session. After a quick meal, I’d then do stock work till 9.30pm. That was my life for seven years straight.
“Our kids arrived during that time, and I hardly saw them for their first three years. By the mid-90s, I was done.”
Fresh air
Like most farmers, Lindsay possessed a range of useful skills. He could weld, build, and repair almost anything. He was also good with people. That got him three months of labouring for Wrightson, then a consulting job for Combined Rural Traders. It was the relief Lyndsay needed.
“Regular hours, no Everest of debt, and the chance to help farmers. I was in heaven. I had a cell phone the size of a brick and I loved the work. It set me up to join the team at Gallagher.”
The early Gallagher days
Back in 2001, the ‘team’ in the South Island was two reps. Weigh scales and fencing were the primary products, though Gallagher’s technology was cutting edge.
“Back then, the weigh scale was new tech. It could read ear tags and capture weight gains; it even had Blue Tooth. Brilliant at the time but look how far we’ve come. Today’s scales can run 700 sheep in the same time it took the old models to weigh 300. And now we can record up to nine customised types of data: anything from drenching and inoculation to pedigree and traits – whatever the farmer finds useful.
“That’s one thing I love about Gallagher: their commitment to inventing things that are good for farmers and good for the land. Sir William is the driving force behind this. He knows that most of the country’s income comes from the land, so if we look after the land, it’ll look after us.
“He really believes it. That’s why he invests so heavily in R&D, and it’s why Gallagher brings in their Territory Managers to test ideas and trial prototypes. They trust us implicitly, so they’ll ask, ‘If we did this, what are the pitfalls? What are we missing to make it fit for market?’ It’s easy to feel respected when you have a voice at that level.”
Farmers and technology
Over 21 years, Lindsay has worked with thousands of farmers, many becoming his friends. He’s seen a shift in their mindset, running parallel with the arrival of new technology.
“Technology changes quickly nowadays. Things that took 15 years to make are now being developed in three. The younger farmers are quick to adapt; they’re hungry for useful data and will latch on to any tech that gives them an advantage.
“Others are a bit stuck. They’ve always done things a certain way and it’s hard making a mental shift. My job has always been showing farmers what’s possible and helping them do what they think is best. It’s been a privilege.”
A final word to farmers
Lindsay Whyte is a farmer at heart. He worked the land during the turbulent 80s and 90s and has spent the last 21 years making life easier for farmers. If he could share one final thought with his rural mates, it would be this:
“Around your farm you have a boundary fence. Don’t let it hem you in. Make time to get off farm to listen to other people, even politicians. Go to meetings and stay open to ideas. If the 80s taught us anything, it’s that sharing problems helps. You’re not alone.”
A final word to Gallagher
To work 21 years for a company and wish you’d had more time speaks volumes about that business. For Lindsay, it was always more than a job.
“The people of Gallagher are my family. Sir William runs the business that way and the people are exceptional. The guys in the factory, the development crew, the customer service team, the people doing 3D drawings and modelling... everyone gives their all when they’re at work. I’m gonna miss them.”
Life before Gallagher
Before joining the team, Lindsay and his wife Jan were farming in central Southland. It was the mid-80s and life took a bad turn for people living off the land. Interest rates ballooned and incomes crashed as government subsidies were cut. Crippling debt followed and many farmers were forced off their generational land. Lyndsay recalls those years.
“People went broke. I remember interest rates at 27%, which was unbearable if you were carrying a lot of debt, and many farmers were. Banks were cutting off credit and they began foreclosing the mortgages of farmers who couldn’t keep up with repayments.
“I was working three jobs, seven days a week to keep us afloat. From 7.30am till 4.30pm I was at the meat works. When that was done, I’d head to the shearing sheds for a session. After a quick meal, I’d then do stock work till 9.30pm. That was my life for seven years straight.
“Our kids arrived during that time, and I hardly saw them for their first three years. By the mid-90s, I was done.”
Fresh air
Like most farmers, Lindsay possessed a range of useful skills. He could weld, build, and repair almost anything. He was also good with people. That got him three months of labouring for Wrightson, then a consulting job for Combined Rural Traders. It was the relief Lyndsay needed.
“Regular hours, no Everest of debt, and the chance to help farmers. I was in heaven. I had a cell phone the size of a brick and I loved the work. It set me up to join the team at Gallagher.”
The early Gallagher days
Back in 2001, the ‘team’ in the South Island was two reps. Weigh scales and fencing were the primary products, though Gallagher’s technology was cutting edge.
“Back then, the weigh scale was new tech. It could read ear tags and capture weight gains; it even had Blue Tooth. Brilliant at the time but look how far we’ve come. Today’s scales can run 700 sheep in the same time it took the old models to weigh 300. And now we can record up to nine customised types of data: anything from drenching and inoculation to pedigree and traits – whatever the farmer finds useful.
“That’s one thing I love about Gallagher: their commitment to inventing things that are good for farmers and good for the land. Sir William is the driving force behind this. He knows that most of the country’s income comes from the land, so if we look after the land, it’ll look after us.
“He really believes it. That’s why he invests so heavily in R&D, and it’s why Gallagher brings in their Territory Managers to test ideas and trial prototypes. They trust us implicitly, so they’ll ask, ‘If we did this, what are the pitfalls? What are we missing to make it fit for market?’ It’s easy to feel respected when you have a voice at that level.”
Farmers and technology
Over 21 years, Lindsay has worked with thousands of farmers, many becoming his friends. He’s seen a shift in their mindset, running parallel with the arrival of new technology.
“Technology changes quickly nowadays. Things that took 15 years to make are now being developed in three. The younger farmers are quick to adapt; they’re hungry for useful data and will latch on to any tech that gives them an advantage.
“Others are a bit stuck. They’ve always done things a certain way and it’s hard making a mental shift. My job has always been showing farmers what’s possible and helping them do what they think is best. It’s been a privilege.”
A final word to farmers
Lindsay Whyte is a farmer at heart. He worked the land during the turbulent 80s and 90s and has spent the last 21 years making life easier for farmers. If he could share one final thought with his rural mates, it would be this:
“Around your farm you have a boundary fence. Don’t let it hem you in. Make time to get off farm to listen to other people, even politicians. Go to meetings and stay open to ideas. If the 80s taught us anything, it’s that sharing problems helps. You’re not alone.”
A final word to Gallagher
To work 21 years for a company and wish you’d had more time speaks volumes about that business. For Lindsay, it was always more than a job.
“The people of Gallagher are my family. Sir William runs the business that way and the people are exceptional. The guys in the factory, the development crew, the customer service team, the people doing 3D drawings and modelling... everyone gives their all when they’re at work. I’m gonna miss them.”
The Mystery Creek Fieldays in November was Lindsay’s swansong. Given his longevity and connections,it was like having all his closest friends gathered in one spot for a week. We couldn’t think of a more fitting time to congratulate him and recognise the incredible contribution this special man has made to Gallagher and difference he has made to thousands of farmers along the way.