2025 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards Winners

The 2025 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmers of the Year are brothers who are inspired by the passion other farmers have for the industry and the strong generational connections within family farms.

Ryan and Scott Anderson were named the region’s Share Farmers of the Year at the annual awards dinner which was held at the TSB Hub in Hawera on Tuesday evening. Martin Keegan was named the 2025 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year and Saffron Astwood the 2025 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Ryan and Scott, supported by their sister Kate, are 50/50 Sharemilkers across three properties at Opunake, totalling 470ha and 1215 cows. They won $8,000 and six merit awards.

The siblings grew up on a farm and enjoy the flexibility farming provides their young families. “We were all brought up on farm and want the same for our children,” they say.

A qualified builder, Ryan believes he and Scott use their different strengths across the business in the best places possible.

“Our low-cost system focuses on profitability not production.”

Scott holds a Bachelor of AgCommerce and identifies interest rates doubling within their first year of business as a challenge.

‘We had to work as efficiently as possible and reduce costs anywhere we could while still maintaining excellent dairy practices.

Together with Kate, the brothers enjoy spending time with family and emphasise the importance of maintaining a healthy work/life balance.

Future farming goals include expanding their 50/50 sharemilking business and achieve land ownership.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors ASB, CowManager, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, and Trelleborg, along with industry partners DairyNZ and MediaWorks.

Runner-up in the 2025 Taranaki Share Farmer category was Matthew O’Connell who is contract milking on Simon and Gillian O’Connell’s, 330-cow Hawera 97ha farm. They won $5,330 and two merit awards.

The first-time entrant took part in the awards to expand his knowledge, increase networking and gain feedback on his business.

The 25-year-old holds an AgriCommerce degree from Massey University and is excited about the new technology in the industry to support his goal of a high-performing farm and healthy cows.

Short-term goals include 50/50 sharemilking next season on his family’s farm, with a long-term goal of purchasing the farm and growing his business.

Third placegetter in the 2025 Taranaki Share Farmer category was awarded to Roshan Jayadheera who won $3,200 and one merit awards. He is contract milking on Wayne Robinson’s 112ha, 400-cow farm at Kaponga.

The winner of the 2025 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year category is Martin Keegan who is farm manager for Stephen and Linda Carter on their 94ha property, milking 246 cows at Inglewood. He won $5,500 in prizes and three merit awards.

The 29-year-old says he entered the Awards programme after receiving a few nudges from people. “I saw it as a great opportunity to rub shoulders with like-minded people from the industry and to gain some valuable unbiased feedback on my farming practices.”

Martin trained as a diesel mechanic and spent ten years working in New Zealand and Canada as a field service technician specialising in tractors and harvesting equipment.

“This is technically my first season dairy farming, however I was born and raised on a dairy farm,” he says. “I love that I can be having a day from hell and it can be fixed by getting a nudge from a pet cow – I give her a scratch, have a chat and feel a million bucks.”

The scope to be self-employed while enjoying work also appeals to Martin, who is fascinated by the technology within the industry and how it’s becoming more efficient in all aspects.

A dry summer during his first season forced Martin to look at the way he was feeding his cows, while making decisions around shade and using different techniques to reduce stress on the animals.

“I like a challenge and farming gives me plenty of that.”

Short-term farming goals include finishing the season strongly in both performance and sustainability, while continuing to work towards herd ownership in the next two years with an ultimate goal of farm ownership.

Runner-up in the 2025 Taranaki Dairy Manager category was Jordan Bell, who won $2,800 and one merit award.

The farm manager currently works on Barry Goble’s 190ha Waitotara property, milking 530 cows.

A former engineer, Jordan says he tagged along for the ride with his then partner, now wife, Sidney.

“I found a passion for it and made a lifelong career out of it – I love the life I am providing for my wife and children.”

Jordan is proud to have achieved a manager’s position in a short time in the industry and identifies his family as his main motivator.

“Work/life balance with two little girls is really hard to keep in check, however it’s so important – my family is everything to me and although I want to excel in the dairy industry I also want to be a current and contributing role model to my children and a loving husband to my wife.”

Third placegetter in the 2025 Taranaki Dairy Manager category was Daniel Woodfield who won $1,700 in prizes.

He is farm manager on Ryan Goble’s 174ha Warea property, milking 444 cows.

The winner of the 2025 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year category is Saffron Astwood who is farm assistant on Brian and Beverly Maxwell’s 99ha Tikorangi property, milking 400 cows. She won $5,000 in prizes and two merit awards.

Saffron was runner-up in the same category in 2024 and says the benefits of the Awards programme included learning new skills, making great friends and putting herself out of her comfort zone. “I proved to myself that I can achieve anything I put my mind to.”

The 25-year-old says it is exciting to witness the growth of technology in the industry. “There are so many tools that can assist farmers in their day-to-day tasks, which in turn will help farmers get off-farm or have more time for family.”

Completing her New Zealand Certificate in Animal Technology (Rural Animal Technician) is an achievement Saffron is proud of. “It was hard figuring out how to juggle working, studying and work placements, however it’s given me great time management skills and has taught me how to be more efficient with my time.”

Saffron would like to see stockmanship continue to be held in high regard in farming. “With all the new technology, it could be easy for people to slip in their stockmanship skills as they may only be with the cows in the shed.”

“It’s important that new people coming into the industry have exposure to safe and appropriate ways to handle cows in all situations is key to having calm and relaxed routine for them."

Future farming goals include continuing to progress her career with a 10-year plan to be 50/50 sharemilking.

Shicaela Kane was announced runner-up in the Dairy Trainee category and is farm assistant for Dominic Schuler on his 300-cow, 95ha Hawera farm. She won $1,500 in prizes and one merit award.

The 23-year-old was placed third in the same category last year and sees the Awards as an opportunity to meet like-minded people in the industry and from relationships with sponsors that support the dairy industry. “I learnt new skills and my confidence grew both in farming and socially.”

Sunil Sah placed third. He is a farm assistant on Hayden and Bridget Goble’s Tataramaka 240ha property, milking 570 cows. He won $1,200 in prizes and one merit award.

The Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards field day will be held at 10.30am on 23 March 2025 at 632 Mid Kahui Road, RD34, Opunake S/N Fonterra 42425 where Taranaki Share Farmers of the Year, Ryan and Scott Anderson sharemilk. Also presenting at the field day will be the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year, Martin Keegan and the Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year, Saffron Astwood. Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

Share Farmer Merit Awards:

• Federated Farmers Leadership Award Scott & Ryan Anderson
• Honda Farm Safety, Health & Biosecurity Award Scott & Ryan Anderson
• DairyNZ - People & Culture Award Matthew O'Connell
• LIC - Animal Wellbeing, Recording and Productivity Award Scott & Ryan Anderson
• Baker Tilly Staples Rodway Environmental Sustainability Award Scott & Ryan Anderson
• Ecolab Total Farm Hygiene & Innovation Award Scott & Ryan Anderson
• Trelleborg Sustainable Pasture Award Scott & Ryan Anderson
• ASB Business Performance Award Matthew O'Connell
• Taranaki DIA Emerging Talent Award Roshan Jayadheera

Dairy Manager Merit Awards:

• Fonterra Dairy Management Award Jordan Bell
• Connect Legal Personal Planning & Financial Management Award Martin Keegan
• Gernhoefer Contracting Environmental Sustainability Award Eric Fa’anoi
• CowManager Livestock Management Award Martin Keegan
• Dairy Training Limited Dairy Training Ltd People & Leadership Award Jonathan Magnaye
• DeLaval DeLaval Pasture & Feed Management Award Martin Keegan
• Taranaki DIA Emerging Talent Award Eric Fa’anoi

Dairy Trainee Merit Awards:

• Okato Vets Farming Knowledge Award - Saffron Astwood
• DairyNZ Practical Skills Award Saffron Astwood
• Baker Tilly Staples Rodway Communication & Industry Involvement Award Shicaela Kane
• Taranaki DIA Emerging Talent Award Sunil Sah

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