Passion for farming delivers award
James and Debbie Stewart from Dairylands in Manawatu impressed judges and took out the 2024 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award.
Dairy Trainee of the Year Simone Smail wants to keep climbing the industry ladder.
The 24-year old herd manager says she is excited about the future following her win at the Dairy Industry Awards in Invercargill.
“I’m so excited… I cannot wait to keep climbing the ladder,” she told Dairy News.
Smail says farm ownership is a long-term goal that “may take a while, but it’s certainly a goal”.
She won the dairy trainee title in her third attempt, winning $10,600 in prizes and the DeLaval Communication and Engagement Award.
Smail is herd manager on an Invercargill City Council farm, working for Steve and Tracy Henderson on the 780-cow, 310ha property at Invercargill.
Dairy trainee head judge Chris Withy says Smail presented herself well, was at ease in the environment and gave considered, accurate answers.
“She is an excellent example of someone who hasn’t grown up in a farming environment but has developed an obvious love of the land and the stock she works with.”
“Simone shows that anyone can go dairying and succeed if they work hard.”
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
OPINION: Scientists claim to have found a new way to make a substitute for cow's milk that could have a…
OPINION: The Irish have come up with a novel way to measure cow belching, which is said to account for…