Wednesday, 22 July 2015 16:04

Trust encourages farmers to enter awards

Written by 
Andrea Hanna. Andrea Hanna.

Entries for the 2016 Ballance Farm Environment Awards open on August 1 and farmers are being encouraged to enter.

The awards, which highlight the work of people farming in a way that is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable, are run by the New Zealand Farm Environment (NZFE) Trust.

Open to all farming and horticultural types, the 2016 awards will be held in 11 regions, with Auckland joining the popular competition for the first time.

NZFE Trust national judging co-ordinator Andrea Hanna says every farmer, including orchardists, vegetable growers and viticulturists, should give it a go.

“Most people enter because they want high quality feedback on how their farming operation stacks up in terms of environmental and economic sustainability,” she says.

Hanna says the competition offers an excellent educational opportunity for any farmer wanting to learn more about how to improve business profitability and environmental management. Past-entrants have described their participation as a highly worthwhile experience.

“It’s not just targeted at top farmers. Every farmer should take the opportunity to enter.”

The awards cover a wide range of categories, so farmers who are performing well in one specific area have a chance of picking up a category award.

Supreme winners from each region are honoured at NZFE Trust’s annual Sustainability Showcase, where the prestigious Gordon Stephenson trophy is presented to a National Winner.

This year the trophy and National Winner title went to Bay of Plenty’s John and Catherine Ford, who strongly urge all farmers to enter the 2016 competition.

“We need to promote our industry by providing examples of the things farmers are doing to care for the environment,” says John Ford.

He, Catherine and their staff found the judging process both educational and inspirational.

“Our whole team bought into it, and it was a fantastic team-building exercise,” he says.

“We think every farmer will get something out of being involved in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. It gives you a huge confidence boost when the judges say you are doing a good job. And if you are not on the right track, the judges will give you direction on how to get there.”

Hanna says the awards prove that sound environmental practises and good business management go hand in hand. Farmers who participate in the competition are also encouraged to share ideas and innovations with the wider farming community.

More information on the 2016 Ballance Farm Environment Awards is available on the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust website.

Entering the competition is free, entry forms are available online at www.bfea.org.nz. There is also an option for entrants to have entry forms mailed to them, if preferred.

More like this

Farm Environment trust plans ahead

The New Zealand Farm Environment (NZFE) Trust is preparing for another busy decade as it strives to help farmers face the challenges of the future.

More than trophies up for grabs

The Ballance Farm Environment Awards open farmers to new networks they may not know about says national judging coordinator Andrea Hanna.

High input hill farm wins top award

If you asked the average Queen Street office worker to describe a high input, high output farm they’d probably describe an operation on the flats whose owners relied on PKE and thought little about the environmental impact of their farm.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter