Dairy's cream of the crop crowned on Coronet Peak
Coronet Peak, Queenstown, was the venue for the 2024 NZ Dairy Industry Awards.
New Zealand 2022 Share Farmer of the Year Will Green says it's a huge honour to be recognised in such a competitive industry.
"Especially as NZ is renowned worldwide for being a leader in dairy and providing a clear career progression pathway," he told Dairy News.
Originally from the UK, 34-year old Green is a sharemilker on the 270ha Dairy Holdings Lts property in Hinds, mid-Canterbury, milking 1,060 cows.
A lot of hard work and sacrifice is behind Green's rise to the top.
Along the way he tasted success, winning the 2018 Canterbury/North Otago Dairy Manager of the Year and then being the 2018 national runner-up.
Green says the efforts of him, his partner Sally Eames and his workers have been recognised.
"Our efforts have been justly rewarded to help us work towards our goals; it's been a lot of fun along the way too."
Apart from his hard work, Green attributes his success to strong mentors, a simple pasture-focused system and a great team of staff and rural professionals.
"Having hugely supportive parents and partner has been really helpful too. Without have a great team around us we wouldn't be able to take time away from the day-to-day to achieve things like the dairy awards.
"We have a strong focus on team culture and you are only as strong as your weakest link so we do our utmost to ensure that our team members are not only happy, but feel motivated, engaged, and [are] adding real value to the progression of the business."
Green says his win was also well received in the UK where many friends and family members watched the livestream of the awards night.
Green's advice to anyone entering the dairy industry is to find "a good boss/mentor who is willing to invest time and knowledge in you".
"Attend as many discussion groups and courses as you can, get your face out there, ask lots of questions and get involved and become an active member of your local community.
"And, of course, enter the dairy awards."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will be fronting farmers at three large public meetings organised by Federated Farmers over the coming weeks.
Federated Farmers and a major Australian-owned bank are at loggerheads over emissions reduction targets set for New Zealand farmer clients.
More locally grown tomatoes are coming to stores this month and you can thank New Zealand greenhouses for that.
Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.
It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.
OPINION: Hats off to our pipfruit sector.
OPINION: The country's dairy farmers will now also have a hand in providing free lunch for schools.
OPINION: The abrupt departure of Synlait chief executive Grant Watson could be a sign that Chinese company Bright Dairy, the…