Young farmer title winner gears up for final

PKW Farms business manager James Lawn has been announced as the FMG Young Farmer of the Year for the Taranaki Manawatū region.

He will now head to Christchurch in July to the Grand Final, where he will battle it out against six other regional winners for the crown of FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

“It was a great feeling when they announced I was the winner,” says James. “I was elated because it’s not an easy competition. They test your knowledge and your skills across five key elements and you really have to put the work into it.”

The five ‘strainers’ of the competition are technology, environment, people, food and innovation. James was awarded the top points in innovation, environment and food, as well as the overall title, and walked away with more than $12,000 in prizes.

James is now focusing on preparing for the Grand Final. Having been a finalist before, in 2017, he knows it’s going to be tough and competition will be fierce.

“There are various things I have to do beforehand, such as a report on a business innovation and a community footprint presentation but we won’t know what the practical and technical challenges are until we get there on the day, which is a bit scary,” he laughs. “But I am totally up for it and I think my previous experience will stand me in good stead.”

The 30-year-old has been a member of the PKW Farms team for more than seven months, after being selfemployed as a contract milker on the family farm.

“I love active farming,” he says. “But then this opportunity with PKW came up and I thought it would be a good challenge as well as enabling me to remain working in the farming sector.”

“I love the daily interaction I have with our kaimahi and our farming partners, it’s a real team approach to deliver the results for our shareholders. “

“James is a very much valued member of the PKW Farms team and this win shows what talented kaimahi we have within the organisation,” says Shane Miles, General Manager Ahuwhenua for PKW. “We wish him all the best in Christchurch for the final and hope that he brings the title home to Taranaki.”