Farm environment awards are easy and fun

Tuesday 27 September 2005

A rural environmental award, which promotes a way of farming that is both practical and profitable, has opened for entries in the Bay of Plenty.

Now in its fourth year, the Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards has gone from strength to strength, says chairman John Bourke. He urges the farming and horticultural communities to support the event again this year.

It’s easy and it’s fun, he says. “There’s nothing judgemental about it and entrants come away excited by what they’ve learnt.” They benefit from the judging and feedback process and by meeting people with like ideals and gaining new ideas from them.

The awards, which are coordinated regionally by Environment Bay of Plenty, showcase the work farmers and orchardists are doing around the region. They can then become role models that others will follow, Mr Bourke says. “These awards have already involved several hundred people, not only the entrants but the members of the judging teams and those on the organising committee. Their effect is slowly spreading through our regional community.”

With Northland on board this year, the event is now run in eight regions of New Zealand. Principal sponsor Ballance Agri-Nutrients is joined in supporting the Farm Environment Awards by RaboBank, PPC, Richmonds, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Wrightsons, Gallagher Group and Hill Laboratories. Environment Bay of Plenty is the regional partner.

Entries for the Bay of Plenty awards close on Friday 28 October.

ENDS

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