Southland Farmers Demonstrate Environmental Values

Media Release

Southland Farmers Get Opportunity To Demonstrate Environmental Values

Environmentally-savvy farmers are being encouraged to take part in the 2008 Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Entries open on November 1, 2007 and organisers are expecting strong interest as more people in the agricultural sector recognise the importance of sustainable farming practices.

“The awards make champions of those who can serve as role models for the wider farming community,” says Southland awards coordinator Ronda Ridsdale.

“We recognise most farmers are inherently interested in sustainable farming, but sometimes we need people - like those who enter these awards - to stand up and share what they have learned,” she says.

The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are based on the sound premise that people are more likely to change their behaviour because they want to, rather than because they are told to.

Entrants stand to gain a significant amount of knowledge from the judging panel, and the judging process helps them to identify just where they are at in terms of environmental management.

“Awards programmes such as this remind us just how important good environmental practice is for the future of this country,” says Ms Ridsdale.

“And, as so many previous entrants have proved, good environmental management also makes sound business sense.”

In addition to the Supreme award, category awards include the Ballance Nutrient Management Award, the LIC Dairy Farm Award, the Southland BFEA Water Quality Award, the PPCS Livestock Farm Award, the Gallagher Innovation Award, the PGG Wrightson Habitat Improvement Award, and the Hill Laboratories Harvest Award

Ballance Farm Environment Award programmes are also run in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago and Northland regions.

Along with principal sponsor Ballance Agri-Nutrients, the awards are supported by PGG Wrightson, PPCS, LIC, Gallagher and Hill Laboratories.

For more information about the awards or to collect an entry form, contact Ronda Ridsdale on (03) 214 4613 or ronda@pel.net.nz

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