increase font size
Jon and Fiona Sherlock
Jon and Fiona Sherlock have been named the Waikato Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The pair were recognised for their combination of profitability, innovation and environmental stewardship.
Judges described the pair as “a powerhouse couple who combine their broad base of skills and knowledge to develop and achieve their strategic goals,” noting their “winning combination of profitability and environmental outcomes.”
Farming sheep and beef on 660ha of steep hill country, the Sherlocks have embraced technology and innovation to reshape what’s possible.
Judges highlighted their strategic use of virtual fencing systems, saying they have “identified the opportunities which virtual fencing systems provide them to achieve win-win solutions for land and water management.”
Their broader vision for the farm stood out strongly to the judging panel.
“Their vision for their farm as a productive mosaic could lead to transformational change across the industry.”
For the Sherlock family, Otorohaea is more than a business - it’s a family legacy.
“We believe we’ve found the sweet spot where good environmental management and good business work together. Finding that balance - the sweet spot between production and protection - is what we’re most proud of.”
Judges also acknowledged their strong commitment to the industry and local community, evident in the way they operate their business and contribute beyond the farm gate.
The bumpy road you travel on teachs you a lot, believes Don Watson. And that’s the message he and wife Kirsten, supreme winners of the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards, aim to pass on to their three sons.
Helensville farmers, Donald and Kirsten Watson of Moreland Pastoral, have been named the Auckland Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Castle Ridge Station has been named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Thirty years ago, as a young sharemilker, former Waikato farmer Snow Chubb realised he was bucking a trend when he started planting trees to provide shade for his cows, but he knew the animals would appreciate what he was doing.
Forestry Minister Todd McClay has today congratulated the winners of the 2026 Growing Native Forests Champions Awards at Fieldays.
The Government has announced $60,000 to provide one-off grants of $1,000 to each of the 60 New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) clubs across the country.
New Zealand’s rural sector has once again demonstrated its generosity, with the second Rural Industry Leaders Dinner, Debate and Auction raising an impressive $400,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
There has been another twist to the Federated Farmers annual election fiasco.
Analysis of decades of research has revealed the implementation of good farming practices plays a critical role in reducing nutrient losses to improve freshwater outcomes.
Yesterday the Government used the opening of Fieldays to announce a major investment, as part of its Land Use Flexibility package, to support a more productive and sustainable future across six sectors including dairy.
OPINION: While we're on the topic of lumberjacks, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has no doubt used a chainsaw hundreds of…
OPINION: To a chorus of crying greenies, and not a minute too soon, the Government has moved to put the…
