MEDIA RELEASE: FRIDAY 31 MAY 2013

New prizes for South Island Farmer of the Year Competition in 2013

Entries and nominations are now open for the 2013 Lincoln University Foundation South Island Farmer of the Year Competition, with an increase in both prize value and categories to further acknowledge excellence in farming practice.

Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees Ben Todhunter says that the competition’s top prize has been raised to $20,000 (an increase of $5000). This is given as a travel grant to allow the winners to go overseas to look at other farming practices, examine new technologies and innovations and enhance their farm business.

In addition, the foundation is offering three new category prizes:

1.    Human Resource Management

Recognising commitment both on-farm to building a happy and productive team, and off-farm, through the strength and depth of relationships with suppliers, customers and the other people who interact with the farm business.

2.    Use of Technology

Best use of innovative technology and systems resulting in increased productivity.

3.    Resource Use Efficiency

Recognising excellence in the efficient and effective utilisation of the natural resources of the farm and physical resource inputs, to generate a high level of production on a sustainable basis and resulting in an excellent long-run return on capital.

Winners of the category prizes will each receive $5000.

Nominations and/or entries are open now and will close on 1 August 2013. Judging will occur during September/October with the finals night in November.

Todhunter says the increased value of the top prize and the new prize categories are part of the Foundation’s drive to celebrate, share and learn from excellence in farming practice in New Zealand.

“One of the key things we want to get across is that this is not about just one farmer putting himself up and saying I’m doing great. It’s about acknowledging the excellence of farming practice as an entire business. That means the farmer, but also the staff, the systems and technology and the resources that go into it. They’re all part of a package that helps make a farm business sustainable and profitable.”

Another change for the 2013 season, Todhunter says, is that the Foundation will accept nominations of farmers by third parties.

“One of the things we’ve struggled with is the natural reluctance for farmers to put themselves forward and say ‘I’m the best’. Nominations can overcome that reluctance and means that entrants can have the confidence of knowing their peers support the entry.” All nominated farmers will be contacted to be told they have been nominated and encouraged to accept the nomination and allow the entry to go forward.

The annual Lincoln University Foundation South Island Farmer of the Year Competition (now in its 29th year) exists to acknowledge outstanding and innovative farm management practices and their contribution to leadership in primary production. The competition is open to all types of primary production – from traditional stock or crop farms to wineries, market gardens, orchardists, or aquaculture. Farmers who have entered previously but not made it to the winner’s table can enter again, taking advantage of their learning experience from previous years.

The overall winner will have demonstrated that they are in the top echelon of agricultural producers, that the farm business is sustainable and that they have developed, or are in the process of developing, a new approach or approaches, either inside or beyond the farm gate, that will enhance their farming activity.

Todhunter says one of the key principles of the competition is that it is used as a vehicle for others to learn.

“It is a requirement that the winners host an open day on their property at an appropriate time after the award has been granted. These field days are very popular and the winner is supported by the foundation to host it, with the foundation covering the costs.”

“The prizes are noteworthy,” Todhunter says, “and the prestige that accompanies being a finalist together with the contacts that entrants make with other top farmers across a range of farming sectors, make this competition an extremely satisfying experience, both in the short term and in the longer term.”

ENDS

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