6, November 2010

Innovative Marlborough Farming Family Wins The Lincoln University Foundation 2010 South Island Farmer Of The Year Competition

Doug, Wendy, Fraser and Shelley Avery from Bonavaree near Lake Grassmere won the 2010 South Island Farmer of the Year at the finals held at Lincoln University yesterday evening.

Lincoln University Foundation chairman Neil Taylor commended the Avery family and said they stood out from the other finalists because they have drought proofed their property by transforming their farming system.

“By integrating animal and plant relationships they have attained very high performance on what is pretty difficult country,” says Mr Taylor. “Where others have partly introduced Lucerne to their properties they Avery’s have done it across the whole farming system and integrated it with other plants to ensure best results.”

This year for the first time the event was opened to all farming sectors which Mr Taylor says ensured high calibre entries from across the South Island.

The competition’s focus on innovation led to new sponsors coming on board including RX Plastics, Summit Animal Health, TracMap and AGMARDT. TracMap and AGMARDT have introduced two new innovation specific awards while Summit Animal Health presented each finalist with a voucher for 10 x 20kg salt blocks.

The first round of judging involved an on-farm inspection, the second round involved application analysis at Lincoln University and from their four finalists were selected. A second on-farm inspection was held and yesterday evening each finalist gave a 15 minute public presentation at Lincoln University which were followed by the award ceremony and dinner.

The winners of the award categories are as follows:

South Island Farmer of the Year 2010 - $15,000 education/travel award: Doug, Wendy, Fraser, Shelley Avery – transformed their drought prone sheep and beef farm near Seddon and improved profitability.

Second – $7,500 education/travel award: Craige and Roz Mackenzie – cropping and dairy farmers from Methven who have patented their own technology and started an Agri-advisory business.

The TracMap n-farm Implementation of innovation Award – TM465 GPS: John Evans – cropping, sheep and beef farmer from Mid Canterbury who uses technology to make farming easier and is involved in multiple research trials.

The AGMARDT Enterprising Innovation Award – $5,000: Craige and Roz Mackenzie – cropping and dairy farmers from Methven who patented their own technology and started an Agri-advisory business.

The remaining finalist Richard Daly from Darfield was unplaced however highly commended for innovative farm management structure. Next year a field day will be held on the Avery’s farm and all members of the rural community are invited to attend – the event will be publicised in the New Year.

You can find out more about the Lincoln University Foundation’s South Island Farmer of the Year competition by visiting www.lincolnuniversityfoundation.org.nz.

Brief biography of the winners:

South Island Farmer of the Year 2010:

Doug, Wendy, Fraser, Shelley Avery farm Bonavaree, on the banks of Lake Grassmere in Marlborough, has undergone a transformation. Doug and Wendy bought the farm in 1979 and now their son Fraser and his wife Shelley run the day-to-day operation and are buying into the property. Following 13 years of drought the Avery’s converted the farm to lucerne, created wetlands and planted native trees. Year on year farm profits have increased and it is now home to 2,910 head of sheep and 527 head of cattle. The Avery’s recently took on the lease of a 140ha neighbouring block which they are converting to lucerne. Doug spread’s Bonavaree’s story through speaking engagements and advises other farmers on change management via his email blog.

Second prize and the AGMARDT $5,000 Enterprising Innovation Award:

Craige and Roz Mackenzie farm, Greenvale Pastures near Methven, is a fully irrigated 200 hectare intensive cropping farm planted in wheat, ryegrass and break crops. They are 50:50 equity owners in the neighbouring Three Springs Dairy - a 1150 cow dairy farm that is producing up to 520kg of milksolids per cow. Craige is part of a team of farmers who converted part of the Ashburton/Lyndhurst Irrigation Scheme to supply piped, pressurised water to around 30 local farms. A 2008 Nuffield Scholar, Craige studied farming’s carbon footprint. He applied what he learnt to make his on-farm applications more accurate and grow crops in the most suitable soils. Craige has patented nitrogen spreading technology that avoids nitrogen patches, and set up a farmer advisory company.

The TracMap TM465 GPS on farm implementation of innovation Award:

John Evans farm, Tregynon is a fully irrigated farm near Dorie, Mid Canterbury. John grows a variety of vegetable seeds, wheat, grass seed and peas; and farms 680 sheep and 124 steers. John uses GPS technology on his cropping operation which controls both the tractor’s steering and the sprayer, and guides the implement independently from the tractor. This permits John to drive without steering which lets him focus on the implement, and work optimum hours – day or night. In a bid to reduce the amount of insecticides used, John adopted the Integrated Pest Management system. John continues to be involved in numerous on-farm trials and is currently researching carrot growth. About the Lincoln University Foundation – set up by Lincoln University alumni during the University’s centenary year in 1978, the primary purpose of the Foundation is to advance education in the fields of agriculture and related interests in New Zealand. Travel awards are provided for educational purposes, research, or to attend a course of study in New Zealand or overseas. The South Island Farmer of the Year is the Foundation’s showcase event.

About the South Island Farmer of the Year competition – applications are sought from throughout the South Island. Judges assess each written application, visit each farm and each entry is assessed to identify the finalists. The finalists are visited a second time by the judges and in November the finalists present to the public, following which a winner is announced.

Judges are looking for measurable and transferable innovative activity. This may range from a new production process or a management technique/programme to a new selling/marketing approach or a combination of these.

An open day is held on the winning farm and members of the rural community are invited to attend. The winners use the prize money for further education/study in New Zealand or overseas.

ENDS

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