Sheep and Beef

Practical guidance to navigate change

Sheep and beef farming in New Zealand has undergone many changes over the past ten years, with sheep, beef and wool prices particularly volatile. Navigating change successfully requires expert advice from a dedicated team of specialists servicing this sector.

At BDO, we have a thorough understanding of the environment sheep and beef farmers operate in, and your business needs now and in the future.

Key business issues

  • Succession of management and farming assets in its many forms
  • Developing the right business structure for the future
  • Maintaining a focus on productivity and controlling the controllable
  • Minimising tax liabilities
  • Minimising business risk
  • Working through growth and cash flow requirements in a volatile environment

How we can help

In addition to our core business of compiling financial statements and providing expert taxation planning and advice, we use our extensive rural business knowledge in the following areas to assist you with all your business needs:

  • Structure your business to your advantage – (e.g. forming trusts, companies, or partnerships)
  • Offer expertise and experience in Māori farm ownership 
  • Provide specialist tax planning in specific rural matters, including livestock valuation and income equalisation
  • Apply the full extent of Government social entitlements and eligibilities
  • Support all your software needs, including Banklink and CashManager Rural
  • Help you monitor and plan using tools such as cash flows and budget
  • Benchmark your business
  • Assist you and your family through effective succession planning
  • Support you with all your employment matters and payroll processing
  • Full back office support for corporate farm operations and multiple -owned properties. 

Expert skills

With our strong regional presence we represent a large number of sheep and beef farmers from small holdings to large corporate farms. We make a point of knowing farming. Many of our advisers are farmers themselves.

Our specialist advisers have taken leadership positions in the sector including:

  • Developing and maintaining a Livestock Tax Valuation Model which is used by the majority of accountants throughout New Zealand
  • Active involvement in industry bodies
  • Regular media commentators on sector issues
  • Lecture fellow professionals on Rural Taxation matters.

Learn more about the BDO Livestock Tax Valuation Model

Agribusiness - sheep and beef

What our clients say

Coleridge Downs LTD has used BDO for the last 10 years. They are very professional to deal with. BDO are great at setting time lines and keeping everyone on task. They are always willing to help outside accountancy challenges and are excellent at assessing new business ideas. BDO sift through the emotion on new business ideas and tell it ‘how it is’. We find BDO great to deal with, they keep us on target and help us to achieve our company’s direction. BDO deliver the whole package at all levels. Tony Plunkett, General Manager Coleridge Downs LTD

Insights

Key contacts

Charles Rau | BDO Gisborne

Charles Rau

National Agribusiness Sector Leader, Advisory & Tax Director
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Paul O’Donnell | BDO Marlborough

Paul O'Donnell

Managing Director, Managing Partner BDO Marlborough Tasman
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