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ENTRIES IN THE 2014 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are running neck-and-neck with last year.
National convenor Chris Keeping says 251 entries have been received in the Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, Farm Manager of the Year and Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions compared with 248 entries at the same time last year.
"We're about three weeks in and it is amazing how close the numbers are – it definitely indicates we are on target to reach or even better last year's record 566 entry numbers."
Keeping says people have about one week left to enter and be eligible for the Early Bird Entry Prize Draw of three Honda XR125 Duster farm bikes, each valued at $4000. One bike will be drawn from those that enter early (before December 1) in each competition.
All entries are being accepted online at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz and close on December 20.
The Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, RD1, Triplejump, along with industry partner Primary ITO (formerly AgITO).
Of the entries received to date, the dairy trainee contest is proving the most popular with 132 entries received. The farm manager contest has received 78 entries and the sharemilker/equity farmer contest has 41 entries.
"Obviously we'd like to see some more entries in the prestigious sharemilker/equity farmer contest which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2014. We recognise there is much more work to do to enter the sharemilker contest than the trainee contest, but know the benefits to all who enter make it worth the while."
North Canterbury pig farmer Steve Sterne has been honoured with NZ Pork's Outstanding Contribution Award, recognising his 27 years of dedication to excellence in the sector.
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
New Federated Farmers national dairy chair Karl Dean is looking forward to tackling the issues facing the sector.
The profitability of dairy farmers is likely to increase in the coming year, accordign to the latest report by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the outlook for the primary sector.
On the eve of his departure from Federated Farmers board, Richard McIntyre is thanking farmers for their support and words of encouragement during his stint as a farmer advocate.
There's been unprecedented demand from secondary school students across the country to study agricultural related subjects.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
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