Dairy farmer takes out Tasman FMG Young Farmer of the Year
A Darfield Young Farmer is one step closer to winning one of New Zealand’s most prestigious farming awards after being crowned the Season 56 Tasman FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
Mark Wallace of Puketoi has taken out the title of East Coast FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
The 30-year-old is a farm worker on a sheep, beef and cropping farm, having previously spent five years as a veterinarian.
The Regional Final was held on Saturday at Russell Park in Waipukurau.
Wallace says he was thankful to the convening committee for putting on the event.
“You put a really good day on, there was something for everyone out there,” he says.
He also thanked a number of people who helped him along the way.
“A special thanks to all the competitors, everyone was really good at something, I certainly wasn’t the best in the practical side there was some great fencing out there. And I’m appreciating the massive irony in winning this trophy with a gate when I couldn’t even get the gate on.”
Ahead of the grand final, Wallace says he will be focusing on improving his practical skills.
The contest is based on four pillars – agri-skills, agri-business, agri-sports and agri-knowledge.
The FMG Young Farmer of the Year Contest Series is sponsored by FMG, Ravensdown, Worksafe, MPI, Environmental Protection Authority, Honda, STIHL, Massey University, Lincoln University, New Holland and PTS Logistics.
OPINION: The Government's recent announcement that methane targets will be reviewed is bringing relief to farmers.
The merger of two of the country’s largest animal nutrition companies won’t lessen competition, the Commerce Commission has ruled.
Zespri has unveiled the award-winning KiwiBrothersTM mascots in China for the first time to market its large kiwifruit crop.
Japanese consumers pay a premium for food that contains ingredients that support health.
In a few weeks the winner of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori dairy farm will be revealed at a gala dinner in Hamilton. In the past couple of weeks, the two finalists in this year’s competition have been holding on-farm field days to showcase why they are finalists. Peter Burke has attended both field days.
The long-running New Zealand Agricultural Show won’t take place this year as cash-strapped organisers mull the event’s future.