Entries Top 500 In Dairy Awards

Entries Top 500 In Dairy Awards

A record number of 508 entries have been received in the 2010 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards – up from 399 received in the 2009 awards.

National Convenor Chris Keeping says organisers are overwhelmed with the interest in the awards’ three competitions – the Sharemilker of the Year, Farm Manager of the Year and Dairy Trainee of the Year.

“This is the third year we have run all three competitions under the awards umbrella and it is proving to be extremely effective in providing an avenue for passionate young, and not so young, dairy farmers to participate in order to progress their farming career.”

Mrs Keeping says the response to the dairy trainee contest has been particularly pleasing, with nearly 230 entries received – up from 150 received in 2009.

“It is a great result and shows the contest is attracting considerable interest from trainees keen to gain some benefits from having their skills recognised. The awards also give them an opportunity to meet other entrants and rural professionals that can help advance their career.

“The trainee entry numbers also bode well for the future of the awards, as we hope that these entrants enjoy the contest and consider entering one of our other competitions as they move up in the industry.”

She says nearly 150 people entered the farm manager contest and 133 entries were received in the more prestigious sharemilker competition when entries closed on Christmas Eve last year.

The Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner Agriculture ITO.

The entrants have entered one of 12 regional competitions being held around the country, with the first regional winners from Hawkes Bay Wairarapa to be announced on February 23.

The three winners from each region will then progress to the national final, to be held in Rotorua on May 15 this year.

Mrs Keeping says sharemilker and farm manager entrants will now be preparing for judges visits, with most judging taking place during February.

Further information on the awards can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

ENDS

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