A Touch of Madness: Keith Neylon

The Inside Story Of A Successful Southlander – A New Zealand Primary Industries Entrepreneur

From humble beginnings in Nightcaps leaving school at 15, Keith Neylon MNZM has now had more than 50 years’ involvement in New Zealand and international primary industries. 

This book tells of his early years as a farmhand, coal miner and shearer before taking to the skies as a pilot flying for ag aviation companies in Southland. Converting to helicopters, Keith then operated in deer eradication and recovery missions on the West Coast, Nelson, Southland, Otago and Canterbury during a significant period in New Zealand’s history. Later on there were stints in the shellfish and salmon industries amongst others.

The final part of the book concentrates on Keith’s deer, dairy, beef and sheep farms and, in more recent years, developing sheep milking in Southland with Antara Ag and Blue River Dairy, a completely vertically integrated company, which is covered in depth. The book concludes with a brief mention of his interest in breeding and racing horses.

Keith Neylon has been governing director of Marlborough Seafoods Ltd, Southern Deer Corporation, Neylon Livestock Ltd, Antara Ag Ltd, Blue River Dairy Ltd, Nucleus Management Ltd; director of NZ Deer Farms Ltd, NZ Salmon Ltd; and managing director of UK-based NZ Seafoods (Murlon) Ltd. His exporting and distribution business interests have covered Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, United States, Australia and China. 

Told in his own straightforward down-to-earth style, Keith’s autobiography chronicles the inside story of a born-and-bred Southlander who would go on to become a highly successful New Zealand primary industries entrepreneur.