Four new awards for South Island Farming Competition

Four new awards for South Island Farming Competition

The challenges, skills and resources required for high performance farming have been recognised by the inclusion of four new awards in the 2013 prize package offered by the Lincoln University Foundation’s South Island Farmer of the Year competition.

Each award carries a cash prize of $5000 while the overall prize has been upped to $20,000. This is awarded in the form of a grant to facilitate travel to visit and study overseas farming enterprises and learn about new opportunities, processes and technology.

Foundation Chair Ben Todhunter says the South Island Farmer of the Year competition is about recognising innovation, leadership and excellence in farming and, more importantly, creating a process where others in the industry can learn from the experiences of the finalists and eventual winner.

“We wanted to recognise that running a cutting-edge farm business is about handling a range of resources in an efficient and innovative way to produce the best results.”

The new prize categories are:
1. The BNZ award for best human resource management
2. The Lincoln University award for technology and innovation
3. The Silver Fern Farms ‘Plate to Pasture’ award for consumer focus
4. The Resource Use Efficiency award for excellence in sustainable resource management.

Todhunter says each category represents one of the key elements that need to be working well to drive a successful business.

“The role of well managed and motivated staff, a readiness to adopt new technology, a focus on how the end product meets consumer needs, and sustainable and efficient use of resources, are all elements that come into almost every primary production enterprise, whether that be a dairy farm, a meat or wool producer, a crop farmer or a business based on horticulture, viticulture or aquaculture.”

All entrants who are judged will receive a comprehensive judges’ report on their business. “This will, in effect, be a valuable independent assessment of their business by a group of people with wide-ranging experience and qualifications in primary industries,” says Todhunter.

Nominations and/or entries for the 2013 South Island Farmer of the Year competition are now open and will close on 1 August 2013. Nomination/entry forms are available at www.linconuniversityfoundation.org.nz

Judging will occur during September/October with the finals night held (where?) in November.

ENDS

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