25 June 2008 Farmer of the Year Awards celebrate 25 years

The Lincoln University Foundation celebrates 25 years of rewarding farming excellence this year with its annual South Island Farmer of the Year awards. Over this time the Foundation has awarded almost $450,000 in prize money and travel packages to around 50 successful farmers.

Co-ordinating judge, Neil Gow says the primary objective of the Foundation is to encourage farmers to contribute to the development of New Zealand’s land-based industries and to reward those who are showing all-round excellence in their farming practises.

“The awards are about encouraging farmers to show innovation, efficiency and sustainability in their farm practice and to share their knowledge with the wider farming community,” says Gow.

Sponsored by Rabobank and Ravensdown, the winner of the 2008 Farmer of the Year will receive a travel award to the value of $15,000, with the runner-up receiving $7,500.

Gow says winning the award gives a farmer the opportunity to travel overseas to study international farming operations and bring back best practice to New Zealand.

“Over the last 25 years this has not only benefited the winning farmers, but South Island farming generally,” he says.

The Lincoln University Foundation is now calling for entries for the 2008 Farmer of the Year awards which this year are for Meat Production. The competition is open to all South Island sheep, beef, bull beef and deer farmers who have over 1500 stock units and who derive 65% of gross income from store and/or finished live stock sales. 

Gow says the winner will be the farmer who has the best overall financial and management performance in their enterprise during the past five years.

Previous winners are encouraging farmers to take up the challenge.  Winner of the 2005 Award ‘Lamb Producer/Finisher’, Fiona Hancox of Kowai Downs near Tapanui, says the awards helped her and her husband Nelson set exciting goals for the future and credits the win with helping them purchase two other properties.

The winner of the ‘Excellence in Innovation’ award in 1999, Brent Rawstron of Rossendale Holdings says the competition encourages farmers to focus on their core business. “Even if you don’t win, you will meet industry leaders and what they tell you may well help your farm.”

2003  “Excellence in Land Based Business’ winner, Bronwyn Brock of Merino Downs, says “The trip to Europe was fantastic but in the long run the award brought us much more than that. It gave us the confidence to continue to be innovative and think outside the square which in turn has allowed us more exposure and success.”

The Lincoln University Foundation welcomes the support of both Rabobank and Ravensdown who make the Farmer of the Year awards possible.

Rabobank, the world’s leading specialist food and agribusiness bank, has been with the Foundation’s Farmer of the Year awards since 1994.  Regional manager Don Kennedy says the aim of supporting the awards is to encourage excellence and innovation in the farming and agribusiness sector.

New Zealand’s largest fertiliser supplier, Ravensdown, became a sponsor last year. It is one of the leading suppliers of agricultural chemicals and animal health products. General Manager Sales, Ross Aimer, says the company welcomes the sharing of knowledge between farmers to ensure industry wide success.

The judges this year include Neil Taylor, Tricia Macfarlane and Dr Derek Newman, as well as other specialists and consultants. They take into account a farm’s environment; this can be regional, physical and/or climatic.

Entries close 29 August and there will be two or three rounds of judging, depending on the number of entries. Finalists will meet the judges on Monday 24 November and the next morning they will present a 20 minute summary of their application which will be followed by the awards ceremony.

Entry prospectuses for the contest are available from Errol Costello at Lincoln University, phone (03) 3253 832 or email costelle@lincoln.ac.nz.  The prospectus and application form may be downloaded here.