increase font size
Gordon Stephenson Trophy recipients Linda and Evan Potter.
Hawke's Bay hill country farmers Evan and Linda Potter have been named national ambassadors for sustainable farming and the recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy.
The Potters run Waipapa, a sheep, beef and deer property in Central Hawke's Bay.
They won the award at last night's National Sustainability Showcase at Te Papa, Wellington, attended by all of the regional supreme winners from the 2020 Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA).
The BFEA is an annual celebration and promotion of sustainable farming and growing practices, where regional supreme winners come together to share ideas and information.
Purchasing Waipapa in 1997, the Potters set to work on transforming what they describe as a blank canvas, into an aesthetically pleasing and productive business producing venison, wool, sheep and beef off this 740 hectare property.
There is a focus on biodiversity: trees with 22% of their farm retired into mainly QEII National Trust covenants and plans to continue fencing and retirement of more land in partnership with QEII.
Other initiatives include an annual pole planting programme for shade and erosion control, planting of natives, regular possum, cat and pest control, and wetland and riparian planting.
Chair of the National Judging Panel, Diane Kidd says the Potters demonstrate a sound understanding of industry metrics around key topics of climate change and reducing greenhouse gases.
"They certainly 'walk the talk' with their environmental projects and sustainability initiatives. They are role models as early adopters of change.
"Evan and Linda have an obvious love of farming and a pride in the successful business they have built together over the last 23 years. They are practical and sustainable and tell a very good story that many others will learn from."
Brendan Attrill of Caiseal Trust in Taranaki has been announced as the 2025 National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at in Wellington this evening.
‘Just take the plunge’ - that’s the message from Hamish and Simon Guild of High Peak Station, Canterbury to anyone considering entering the 2025 Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The winners of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy say farmers are doing better on sustainability than they give themselves credit for.
Hamish and Simon Guild of High Peak Station in Canterbury are the 2024 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy.
Otago sheep and beef farmers Steven and Kellie Nichol won the coveted Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the recent Ballance Farm Environment Awards. As such, they also become the 2023 national ambassadors for sustainable farming and growing.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.
