1 December 2004 Five Line up in Final of Lincoln Farmer of Year Competition

Five hill and high country farm operators will compete in the final of the 2004 Lincoln University Foundation/Rabobank Farmer of the Year Competition at Lincoln University on Tuesday 7 December.

The five finalists are – John and Rose Acland of Mt Peel Station, Central Canterbury; John and Felicity Latta of Owaka, South Otago; William and Susan Macdonald of Middlehurst Station, Awatere Valley, Marlborough; Duncan and Carol and Hamish and Julia Mackenzie of Braemar Station, Tekapo; and Michael and Ruth Williams of Brockworth, Little Akaloa, Banks Peninsula.

They will be competing in the final round of judging for the title and a $10,000 overseas travel award.

The category for the 2004 competition is "Hill and High Country Farming" and the five finalists were selected by the judges from a competitive field of applicants.

John and Rose Acland farm 8800ha Mt Peel Station. Their philosophy is to run the property sustainably, increase production, hold costs and build and maintain a strong team of employees and advisors. Mt Peel has increased stock units by 2432 over the past five years with a complementary balance of sheep, deer and cattle.

John and Felicity Latta farm their 744ha hill country property at Owaka to provide superior quality lamb to the top end of the domestic market. Their philosophy is to keep things simple and have good people involved in the operation.

William and Susan Macdonald farm the 17,000ha Middlehurst Station as a sustainable, productive family business. They have changed the sheep policy from wethers and ewes to ewes only using improved genetics, artificial insemination and pasture improvement. Similarly with the cattle they are using cross breeding for hybrid vigour.

Duncan and Carol and Hamish and Julia Mackenzie farm on the shores of Lake Pukaki in the Mackenzie Country and have adopted practices to make their operation sustainable. They have changed the sheep from merino to a predominantly Perendale flock which has given better post weaning growth rates to the lambs. This coupled with an intensive pasture renewal programme has lifted production in all three classes of stock – sheep, cattle and deer.

Michael and Ruth Williams farm the 519ha hill country property Brockworth, near Akaroa, on Banks Peninsula, with a philosophy based on the efficient utilisation of pasture growth by high performing animals. To this end they have gone from crossbred sheep to a composite flock and this along with hogget lambing has doubled the kilograms of lamb sold per hectare.

The final round of judging involves a public presentation by each of the finalists outlining their farming operations, financial approach and philosophy.

In addition to the winner’s prize of $10,000 there are two runners-up awards of $5000 and $2000.

The final is in Lincoln University's Stewart 2 Lecture Theatre, starting at 9.30am on Tuesday 7 December. Interested members of the public are welcome to attend. Admission is free. The final result should be known soon after midday.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand