Align Farms - Where Regenerative Agriculture Meets Real-World Impact
In the rolling plains of Mid Canterbury, something unique is taking root. Align Farms, a collection of dairy farms, run-off blocks and a market garden, is not just producing milk - it’s rethinking the entire system that brings food from soil to stomach.
At the helm is Rhys Roberts, CEO of Align Group, who doesn’t shy away from complexity. “We’re not here to say regenerative farming is the answer,” he explains. “We’re here to find out what’s possible when you commit to being transparent, experimental, and deeply connected to people and place.”
“We’re not here to say regenerative farming is the answer,” he explains. “We’re here to find out what’s possible when you commit to being transparent, experimental, and deeply connected to people and place.”
The Challenge
The agricultural industry faces increasing scrutiny over environmental impact, food system resilience, and workforce welfare. Align Farms identified a critical need to:
Explore regenerative practices in a structured, measurable way
Reduce input dependency while maintaining or improving productivity
Strengthen the link between farming operations and the health of both people and the planet
Create deeper value for staff and local communities through access to fresh, nutritious food
That ethos is embodied at Clearview, Align’s flagship dairy farm. On the surface, it looks much like any other high-performing New Zealand dairy operation. But look closer and you’ll see it’s a farm split in two: one side continues with conventional practices, while the other trials regenerative methods including diverse pastures, minimal synthetic inputs, and soil-first thinking.
This is not a casual experiment. Cows are separated into distinct herds. Milk goes into separate vats. Financials are tracked independently. It’s bold, highly structured, highly visible, and driven by a simple question: ‘What really changes when you farm with regeneration in mind?’
So far, the answers are mixed, but meaningful. Milk yield per cow is steady. Pasture growth varies year to year. The regenerative side has lower stocking rates, which affects profitability in the short term. But there are early wins, too—less exposed soil, improved pasture resilience, and cows with shinier coats and better body wellness, prompting the development of a new animal health metric adopted across the business.
“We’re not rushing,” says Roberts. “This is a 10-year journey. You don’t measure the impact of regenerative farming in 15-minute soundbites—it takes generations.”
When talking more about what Regeneration looks like, Rhys said “I believe that regenerative practices implemented into a farming system is just really best practice. At times we get a little bit carried away trying to define regenerative practices, but if we strip all that back, regenerative practices is about being better than we were yesterday and not as good as we're going to be tomorrow. It's around continuous improvement. It doesn't need to be anything more than that.”
The impact ripples beyond the farm gates. Align has chosen to share all their data on their website including grass growth, milk production, soil health, wellness scoring - openly with farmers, researchers, and curious citizens alike. Visitors come to see the systems in action. Overseas inquiries roll in. And instead of packaging up tidy answers, Align invites others into the process of learning.
Alongside the trial, another story has unfolded—one that began not in a lab, but in a garden.
The Dirty Fork
In 2020, as the world locked down, Align decided to turn a patch of paddock into a 0.3-hectare market garden. They called it The Dirty Fork, and its purpose was simple: to grow food for the people who grow the food.
What started as a low-key idea to provide veggies during uncertain times has since become a cornerstone of Align’s employee wellbeing strategy. Every fortnight, 26 boxes of fresh produce—plus milk, meat, and eggs—are distributed to families across six Align farms. The goal? To eventually supply 60% of the team’s diet from the farm itself.
“We thought it’d be part-time,” laughs Kiri Roberts, who manages Clearview. “Turns out growing food is hard work. But the returns we see? You can’t put a price on that.”
The financials are modest. The garden costs around $40,000–$60,000 a year to run. But compared to giving each staff member a $2,000 bonus—which would cost the business $120,000—the garden delivers far more: better nutrition, more energy, stronger morale, and a deeper sense of purpose among the team.
“They’re not just getting carrots and kale,” says Kiri. “They’re showing up to work well-fed, clear-headed, and valued.”
Now, the team has launched re, a new yogurt brand made with milk from the regenerative side of Clearview. It’s traceable, single-source, and grounded in the belief that food should reflect the health of the land it comes from.
‘Re’ – Single-Source Yogurt from Regenerative Milk
Launch Vision:
Align has introduced a yogurt brand (Re) made from regenerative milk produced at Clearview. This step closes the loop on their pasture-to-plate model.
What Makes it Unique:
Single-source origin: consumers can trace the product back to the exact farm and system
Produced with soil health, animal wellbeing, and human nutrition in mind
Represents a rare example of full supply chain transparency in NZ’s dairy sector
“We want people to know exactly where their food comes from,” says Kiri. “You can visit the farm. You can meet the cows. That kind of transparency shouldn’t be rare—it should be the norm.”
The yogurt is just one piece of a bigger puzzle. Align envisions a full “pasture to plate” ecosystem—milk, meat, eggs, vegetables, all grown regeneratively, all delivered with integrity. It’s a business model rooted in values, not just volume.
And while there’s still much to learn, one thing is clear: Align Farms isn’t waiting for the food system to change. They’re building the future themselves, with open gates, dirty hands, and a growing belief that farming can be better—not just for the planet, but for the people who live on it.
Key Takeaways
Transparent experimentation builds trust. Align openly shares both successes and challenges of its regenerative trial, creating credibility and industry interest.
Regeneration is a journey, not a silver bullet. The team acknowledges that transforming a farm system takes years, not seasons.
People matter. Investing in staff through food access and wellness boosts morale and productivity in measurable ways.
Pasture to plate is possible. Align is proving that with intention, integration, and transparency, farms can authentically connect to consumers in ways that elevate both product and practice.
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