New Chair for NZ Dairy Industry Awards

11 December 2017

New Chair for NZ Dairy Industry Awards

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Trustees have chosen Woodville dairy, beef and cropping farmer Ben Allomes as Chair at a recent trust meeting.

Mr Allomes has been a DairyNZ director since 2010 and a supporter of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards since he and his wife first entered in 2002.

Mr Allomes and wife Nicky won the Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Sharemilker of the Year title in 2008 and went on to win New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year. They still have the same sharemilking position they did then, plus an equity partnership, equating to 1300 cows.

“A big part of our success is a direct result of the entering the Awards. The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards were a massive learning curve for us and taught us what we needed to know by the best in the industry.”

As awards chairman, Mr Allomes says a goal of his is to complete the review the Awards are currently going through, and acknowledges the work already done by the Executive Committee and previous Trust Chair, Methven farm owner Alastair Body.

“The Awards are coming of age and are seen as a prestigious competition within the dairy industry, enabling entrants to analyse their business, receive expert advice, and grow to the next level. This guidance and feedback helps entrants progress in the dairy industry and also identifies and promotes the dairy industry’s future leaders.”
Mr Allomes says another goal is to continue to reach a wider audience of potential entrants by fine tuning the changes made last year to the competitions, and creating awareness of the benefits of entering the awards.

“The Awards aren’t just about winning, they are about providing support and guidance to every entrant. It’s really important for our Dairy industry to have sustainable businesses operating within it, and to continue to promote excellence within the industry.”

He feels privileged and honoured to be the new chair of the awards and says he is surrounded by a team with a great range of skills from past winners and entrants but also with genuine governance experience. “The awards have been dear to Nicky and my hearts since we first entered in 2002 and it’s a real privilege to have the opportunity to lead it,” says Mr Allomes.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra Farm Source, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, and Ravensdown, along with industry partner Primary ITO.The Awards run the New Zealand Share Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions.

More than 420 people have entered the 2017 awards programme. Entrants will first compete in one of 11 regional competitions being held throughout the country in February and March next year. The 33 winners of those competitions will progress to the national finals in May next year.
Further information on the awards can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

ENDS

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