Cam Clayton Eyes Last Shot at FMG Young Farmer Title
“Pack your thinking caps. You need more than just farming knowledge for this one.”
A mate of the Hound reckons the outcome of this year’s Young Farmer of the Year contest should be a real concern to New Zealand’s Young Farmers and the annual competition itself.
This year’s winner – the youngest ever in the competition’s history – is not a farmer, but a Fonterra marketing executive in Auckland.
Neither were the runner-up or third place winners farmers.
They were, respectively, a technical field rep and a vet.
Says this old mutt’s concerned source: the fact that none of the winners actually endure the real, daily rigours of farming makes the title of the contest – perhaps the event itself – somewhat questionable.
Zespri's sales of kiwifruit for the 2025 season have broken all past records.
Trainee orchard manager Luke St John has won the Central Otago 2026 Young Grower regional title.
James Blair, an agronomist for AS Wilcox, has won the 2026 Pukekohe Young Grower regional title.
Fifty-eight selected individuals, companies, and start-ups will exhibit their ideas and cutting-edge solutions at the 2026 Fieldays Innovation Awards, with Amazon Web Services (AWS), who joins the programme in 2026 as overall sponsor.
A rare piece of New Zealand adventure history will be on display at this year’s Fieldays, with a pair of socks worn by the late Sir Edmund Hillary to take pride of place at the Norsewear site this June.
This month's National Fieldays will again display a strong international flavour, with more exhibitors and overseas delegations in attendance.

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