New Award Recognises Dairy Industry Contribution

New Award Recognises Contribution To Dairy Industry

Those people who have made outstanding contributions to the dairy industry’s strength and prosperity over their lifetime are to be recognised in a new award.

The Lifetime Achievement Award, being sponsored by Holden, is a new initiative from organisers of the Fonterra Westpac Dairy Excellence Awards, which was launched earlier this month.

Awards Chairman and Fonterra Director Jim van der Poel says an aim of the Fonterra Westpac Dairy Excellence Awards is to provide a platform to recognise those who have made outstanding contributions at a regional and national level.

“Throughout the history of the dairy industry there have been individuals who have made huge contributions across many areas in both their own region and also nationwide. These contributions range from pioneering new farming practices, to research and extension, and to trade negotiation and strategy.

“The Holden Lifetime Achievement Award seeks to recognise those who have made these valuable contributions,” Mr van der Poel said.

Westpac General Manager Business Julian Nalepa says the Holden Lifetime Achievement Award is a great initiative, as it will widen the participation base of the awards event to a much larger audience.

“It is particularly pleasing that we have been able to widen the scope of the awards by including something like the Holden Lifetime Achievement Award - this enables greater participation from those servicing the industry who also give their best to ensure it succeeds,” Mr Nalepa said.

The award is open to anyone who has made a contribution to the New Zealand dairy industry such as farmers, scientists, politicians, consultants, valuers, field representatives and all those in the dairy service sector.

Nominations for the award will be called from within each of the awards’ eight regions, to recognise an individual who has made a significant contribution to the dairy industry in that area. The eight regions are Northland, Waikato North, Waikato East, Waikato South, Taranaki, Lower North Island, Northern South Island, and Southern South Island.

The regional award recipients, however, will not necessarily go forward to the national award.

Nominations will again be called for the national award, seeking someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the success of the entire dairy industry.

“In effect, these awards will create a dairy industry hall of fame at a regional and national level,” Mr van der Poel said.

The awards are a partnership between Fonterra and Westpac, with the support of Dexcel, Pioneer, Livestock Improvement, Holden, RD1, DTS and Ravensdown.

Nomination forms for the Holden Lifetime Achievement Award will be available from Awards Convenor David Jensen in early December.

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