Friday, 22 May 2015 14:28

$20,000 at stake in southern farmer contest

Written by 

Nominations are open for the 2015 Lincoln University Foundation South Island Farmer of the Year competition, and organisers are hoping for another record year.


Foundation chair Ben Todhunter says last year it received record entries, then the best-attended winner's field day in the history of the contest: at least 400 people turned up to tour Patoa Farms.


The top prize is a $20,000 travel grant towards farm study or to fund farm business opportunities, plus four $5000 awards for the best performers in resource management, consumer awareness, innovation and human resources.


Lincoln University Foundation and the competition sponsors find that a "key to getting good numbers and a high quality of entries is nominations," Todhunter says.


"Traditionally it has been hard to get farmers to put their own hand ups, but when they're nominated that seems to take the 'tall poppy' factor out of it and they let their nomination go forward.


"We're looking for leadership, innovation and farming excellence, which can be found equally in small family-owned farm businesses and in large commercial agricultural entities."


Todhunter says previous entrants are also encouraged to re-enter.

More like this

South Island farming comp offers more

Entrants in the 2015 Lincoln University Foundation's South Island Farmer of the Year competition will again have the chance to pitch for additional prizes.

Pig farm is tops down South

NORTH CANTERBURY-BASED Patoa Farms Ltd has won the Lincoln University Foundation's South Island Farmer of the Year competition for 2014.

People to people link crucial

The importance of people, and the knowledge they hold, to New Zealand's agricultural success has been highlighted in a new award for the Lincoln University Foundation's South Island Farmer of the Year competition.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter