Thursday, 28 July 2022 16:55

Arable Awards finalists named

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Former Federated Farmers Vice President is among those named as a finalist in the 2022 Arable Awards of New Zealand.

The innovators and heroes of New Zealand’s arable industry will be recognised at New Zealand’s Arable Awards next week.

Finalists in each of nine categories have been selected by independent judges for the 2022 Arable Awards of New Zealand, to be presented at a special event at Te Pae, Christchurch, on August 4.

“With Covid, supply chain and workforce disruption, inflation and all the other challenges going on, one might have thought nominating arable industry heroes for awards could slip as a priority,” says Colin Hurst, Federated Farmers Arable Group chairperson and national board member.

But not so, as there were 80 nominations.

“Clearly there are many others who, like Federated Farmers and our Arable Awards partners FAR, United Wheat growers and NZGSTA, recognise the value of celebrating and honouring the leaders and rising stars among our arable producers,” he says.

Judges have named Federated Farmers Southland President, Arable executive member David Birket and immediate past national vice-president Karen Williams (along with her husband Mick) as the three finalists for Arable Farmer of the Year.

“We are excited to bring the Arable Awards of New Zealand to life, an event put together by industry, for industry,” Hurst says.

Finalists

Agronomist of the Year

Anna Gillum
David Weith
Roger Lasham
Rowland Tsimba

Grower of the Year – Grain

David & Anna Irving
Geoff Maw
Will MacKenzie

Grower of the Year – Small Seed

Hamis Marr
John McCaw
Ronald Hydes

Grower of the Year – Maize

Alastair Barnett
Chris Pellow

Emerging Talent Award

Andrew Darling
Ethan Flack
Lauren Beattie

Environment & Sustainability Award

Karen & Mick Williams
Simon Osborne
Taggart Farms Ltd.

Arable Farmer of the Year

David Birkett
Karen & Mick Williams
Chris Dillon

Innovation Award

Auld Distillery
E-Check Far Environment Team
Hopefield Hemp

Arable Food Champion

Angela Clifford
Blair & Jody Drysdale

Rob & Toni Auld

More like this

Federated Farmers Urges Fast Action on Canterbury Local Government Reform

Federated Farmers is urging Canterbury's council leaders to move quickly on local government reform.

Federated Farmers Warn Government Is Running Out of Time on Freshwater Reform

With six months until the election, Federated Farmers says the Government is running out of time to deliver its long-promised reform to the country's freshwater system.

Conveyance Allowance Increase Welcomed by Rural Women

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) and Federated Farmers say they welcome the announcement last week that the Government will increase the conveyance allowance by 30%.

NZ Farm Worker Pay Growth Slows After Post-Pandemic Boom

According to the latest Federated Farmers-Rabobank Farm Remuneration Report, released today, farm worker pay growth has levelled off after a post-Covid period of rapid growth.

Bouquets

OPINION: Bouquets this week from the old mutt for Fed Farmers and Groundswell for continuing to resist the proposed Gore District plan and its intention to apply costly "cultural values" across the district and a raft of land classifications that are unworkable and counterproductive.

Featured

Āta Regenerative Brings Global Soil and Water Experts to New Zealand Farms

Āta Regenerative is bringing international expertise to New Zealand to help farmers respond to growing soil and water challenges, as environmental monitoring identifies declining ecosystem function and reduced water-holding capacity across farms.

Yili’s New Zealand Dairy Group Posts Record $1.58 Billion Revenue

Yili's New Zealand businesses have reported record profits following a major organisational and strategic transformation.

Hino Truck Owners Have 10 Days Left to Register for Proposed $10.9M Settlement

Owners and lessees of certain Hino Trucks New Zealand diesel vehicles have just 10 days remaining to register or opt out of a proposed $10.9 million class action settlement.

Silver Fern Farms Airfreights 90 Tonnes of Chilled Meat to UAE Amid Freight Disruptions

Silver Fern Farms has successfully produced and delivered 90 tonnes of premium chilled New Zealand lamb and beef to the United Arab Emirates via airfreight.

New Zealand Tractor Sales Climb 5% in First Quarter of 2026

For the first three months of 2026, new tractor deliveries saw an increase over the previous two months, resulting in year-to-date deliveries climbing to 649 units - around 5% ahead of the same period in 2025.

FAO Warns Strait of Hormuz Fertilizer Crisis Could Tighten Global Food Supplies Into 2027

QU Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has issued a warning saying that global fertiliser scarcity caused by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz will lead to lower yields and tightening food supplies into 2027.