West Otago Farmer Luke Kane Wins Rabobank 2026 Prize
West Otago dairy farmer Luke Kane has been awarded the 2026 Rabobank Dr John Morris Business Development Prize.
The competition has been running annually since 2017 and aims to support and celebrate the incredible efforts of rural communities in enhancing their local areas.
“Whether it’s a community garden, a local sports facility, or an environmental project, Rabobank wants to hear about the initiatives making a difference in rural New Zealand,” Rabobank general manager for country banking Bruce Weir says.
Entries for the competition are open throughout June, and community groups are encouraged to submit their projects for consideration. The winning group will receive a dedicated day of hands-on support from Rabobank employees as well as $5,000 to help bring their project to life.
The $5,000 of funding for the winning project will be drawn from the Rabo Community Fund – a fund set up by Rabobank in 2021 and backed by an annual contribution from the Rabobank Group.
Weir says Rabobank was thrilled to continue its support for rural communities through the Good Deeds Competition.
“Rural community projects play a vital role in strengthening rural areas, and we look forward to seeing the innovative and impactful initiatives that will be entered this year.”
Weir says around 20 Rabobank staff were generally lined up to attend the labour days supporting the winning project, and they were fantastic community events.
“I’ve been lucky enough to attend several of these labour days since the inception of the competition, and the local teams always roll up their sleeves and really get stuck in,” he says.
“We encourage local community members to attend these events too, and the winning community group has often been amazed at how much progress is made on the day towards the completion of the project.”
Recent competition winners include the Te Mata Tennis Club (2024), Beaconsfield School in South Canterbury (2023), and the Te Ranga School Bush Classroom in the Bay of Plenty (2022).
To enter the competition, visit the competition home page and complete the online application form. The winning project will be announced live in early July.
