It’s Contract Managers versus Farm Managers

For Immediate Release
20 April 2012
It’s Contract Managers versus Farm Managers

Contract managers outnumber farm managers in the quest to win the 2012 New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year title and $43,000 in cash and prizes.

National convenor Chris Keeping says there are eight contract managers and four dairy farm managers in the running, with a farm manager paid a salary to manage the dairy farm and a contract milker paid an agreed amount to manage the farm as well as pay some costs associated with running the farm dairy.

“The farm manager contest attracted nearly 160 entrants. It is great that the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards programme is attracting such a high level of interest from people committed to the industry.

“These people want to lift their own skills and knowledge to lead to improved business performance on dairy farms throughout the country – that’s got to be great news for the wider dairy industry,” Mrs Keeping says.

The 12 finalists include seven males and five couples. “The finalists have a range of backgrounds and also vary in age by 21 years, with the youngest finalists aged 23 and the oldest is one of two aged over 40.”

She says the oldest, Central Plateau finalist Ian Nelson, is also managing the largest herd of cows, at 950 cows, and is one of three finalists working for a corporate dairy farmer. The finalists’ herds range in size from 222 cows, with seven herds containing less than 500 cows, up to 950 cows.

It is the third time one of the finalists has entered the awards, while it is the first time nine had entered.

“All the finalists have entered the awards for similar reasons – to learn more about themselves, to meet people, to gain ideas to improve their business and to progress their dairy farming career.”

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 AgITO.

The winner of the New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year title will be announced at the 2012 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards gala dinner in Auckland on May 12. The New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year titles will also be awarded and more than $140,000 in cash and prizes given away.

The 2012 New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year finalists:
• Auckland Hauraki – Paul & Amy Koppens, contract milking 240 cows, Pukekohe
• Bay of Plenty – Grant Clark, contract milking 450 cows, Waimana
• Canterbury North Otago – Mick O’Connor, contract milking 840 cows, Rakaia
• Central Plateau – Ian Nelson, farm manager 950 cows, Reporoa
• Hawkes Bay Wairarapa – Dean & Rochelle Jones, contract milking 615 cows, Masterton
• Manawatu Rangitikei Horowhenua – Matt Johnson, farm manager 222 cows, Foxton
• Northland – Steve & Donna Griggs, contract milker 480 cows, Waipu
• Otago – Gareth & Angela Dawson, farm manager 560 cows, Clinton
• Southland – Hannes & Lyzanne du Plessis, contract milking 650 cows, Edendale
• Taranaki – Thomas Higgins, farm manager, 360 cows, Hawera
• Waikato – Thomas White, contract milker 394 cows, Putaruru
• West Coast Top of The South – James Deans, contract milker 330 cows, Dobson.

More information on the finalists can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

ENDS

© Scoop Media