Protest planned outside dairy awards venue

Greenpeace-sponsored ‘End Big Dairy Movement’ is calling for protesters to gather at Baypark and “disrupt them with noise and messages about the harm from their industry”.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) said in a media release that it is aware of planned protests at the awards and consider this action “hugely disappointing”.

“The Awards drive best practice in dairy farming and focus on important future issues such as environmental sustainability and animal welfare,” NZDIA says.

“Safety is the priority for all attendees and protestors. NZDIA understands people have a right to peaceful protest.”

In another email to attendees, NZDIA said it wants to make them aware that there may be protestors present at the National Awards Dinner.

“To ensure a smooth and enjoyable evening for all guests, please follow these guidelines: do not engage with protestors – please ignore them.”

NZDIA says the annual awards night is a night of celebration, as the farmers who are recognised are the best in the industry and take their role of kaitiaki of the land seriously, holding the welfare of their animals as utmost priority.

“The Awards programme focuses on driving understanding of the issues within dairying and what is best for New Zealand as a whole, including all the environmental issues and impact surrounding it,” it says.

The categories, which include Share Farmer of the Year, Dairy Manager of the Year, Dairy Trainee of the Year and Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award promote and recognise best practice and drive what is important to the future of dairying in New Zealand. This year, two new awards will be introduced – the Fonterra & ASB First Farm Award and the ASB Alumni of the Year Award.

“The Awards encourage up-and-coming farmers to understand what best practice looks like and focuses on the issues that are important for the future, including environmental sustainability and animal welfare, and recognises those farmers doing well in this field.

“The young farmers progressing through the industry hold these values high and take their learnings and understanding of best practice with them through their farming careers.”

However, Greenpeace claims on its community board that there is nothing to celebrate about the country's “most harmful industry”.

“Join groups from across the country to protest the dairy award’s greenwash event and highlight the real harm this exploitative industry has brought to this whenua for far too long: from colonial land theft, mass deforestation and polluted waterways, to animal and worker exploitation, political control and climate pollution.
“As directors, managers, CEOs and financial supporters of the dairy industry arrive for the dairy awards ceremony we will disrupt them with noise and messages about the harm from their industry while holding our own, Dirty Dairy Awards ceremony. We welcome you to join the movement to end big dairy, bring your drums, your pots-and-pans, your voice, your spirit.”