16 May 2022Lincoln graduate helping to shape future of farming

The Lincoln alumnus says that studying for a Bachelor of Agricultural Science allowed him to really "dive into the sector as a whole".

"Without a doubt, my time at university played a critical role in my career."

As a Business Development Executive at Halter, Theo started out in the Research and Development team in Waikato and is now based in Canterbury, after helping kickstart the company’s expansion.

The Halter system is a smart collar worn by dairy cows and allows farmers to remotely shift, virtually fence and proactively monitor their cows’ health, feed and behaviour. This reduces labour stress by maximising production, animal welfare and sustainability standards.

Theo has certainly come a long way in the two short years since he graduated with First Class Honours, a success story that he partly attributes to the Lincoln experience. 

"Joining an extremely fast-paced startup meant doing a bit of absolutely everything and anything, so the wide range of courses I was able to study at Lincoln meant I had a solid knowledge base across more than one area," he says.

Theo cites the practical elements of his degree as a major highlight of his study, as well as learning to solve issues in a creative way, both of which stood him in excellent stead for his career.

"The practical experience at Lincoln was invaluable, as it involved working in the dairy, sheep and beef sectors during my summer break and I also got to do an internship with Rabobank at the end of my third year," he says.

"The biggest thing Lincoln taught me was to always question how things were done and look to innovate as much as possible. In any startup, the ability to think outside the box and overcome challenges is essential.

"As Halter has expanded, I have done everything from collaring cows to running experiments and helping develop new features."

Theo’s role also involves consulting with farmers on whether Halter is a good fit for their system and goals and liaising with banks and rural professionals to learn about new markets.

"I was fortunate enough to help kick off our expansion into Canterbury and now into Taranki, so I have spent lots of time meeting new farmers and rural professionals in different regions around the country."