9 minute read
Top farmers 2022 Dairy Industry Award winners
by AgriHQ
The 2022 National Dairy Industry Award winners are the cream of the crop. Dairy Trainee of the Year Peter O’Connor, Share Farmer of the Year Will Green and Dairy Manager of the Year Jaspal Singh. All are from the Canterbury/North Otago region.
Winner takes it all
By Sonita Chandar
This year’s New Zealand Dairy Industry Award winners are all go-getters who are on the road to success.
The 2022 Dairy Industry Share Farmer of the Year winner is still processing the big win but says he is humbled by it.
History was made at this year’s awards after Canterbury/Otago achieved a clean sweep of all three major categories and the Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award, with national finalists from that region taking home the silverware.
“It is a humbling experience. I really enjoyed the whole process of the awards and winning has just been the cherry on the top,” Share Farmer of the Year winner Will Green says.
“The fact that we all come from the same region is a credit to us all in Canterbury. We all put the work in and it was amazing to have that home support.”
Originally from the UK, the 34-yearold is a 34% sharemilker on the 270ha Dairy Holdings Ltd Hinds property, milking 1060 cows. Green holds a Degree in Agriculture from Harper Adams University and enjoys farming, as it gives him the opportunity to work outdoors and with livestock.
“I have been here in New Zealand for eight years, away from friends and family so don’t have a network, but my partner Sally Eames has been a huge support through the whole process. So have the farm owners,” he says.
He says meeting and spending time with other finalists has also helped him
build his network of colleagues and friends and he learned a lot from them.
The process of entering right through to the presentation stages, judging and awards evening has been a fantastic way for him to network with others in the industry, as well as being able to benchmark the farm and himself against other finalists.
“We started with doing a really good breakdown of the farm and looked at some areas where we were doing well and in others we identified weaknesses and what we could do to develop and improve on these,” he says.
“Sally has some practical farming experience but wasn’t too involved in the actual business side, so it was a great chance for her to become involved and learn that aspect of the business.”
Green has tasted success in the NZDIA as the 2018 Canterbury/North Otago Dairy Manager of the Year and was the runner-up in the national title.
Share Farmer head judge Guy Michaels, from DairyNZ, says Green impressed the judges with his contagious energy, accuracy and his constant business reviewing, looking for opportunities to learn.
Green currently owns 90% of the herd and within the year, aims to own the other 10%.
“In three years, I hope to be debt-free or be in an equity position. The 5-10 year goal is to move into farm ownership of a 600-plus cow farm, wherever that may be. I really enjoy the Canterbury region but location is not a limiting factor,” he says.
He has hopes to give back to the industry through whatever opportunities may come his way.
“The awards open doors and give you lots of opportunities to go out and meet people and give talks on different things,” he says.
“I would also love to be involved in any projects. I am passionate about agriculture, so I am happy to put my hand up to be involved and help out where I can.”
The runners-up in the Share Farmer of the Year competition are Central Plateau farmers Todd and Renee Halliday, and Taranaki couple Murray and Rachel Perks placed third
For the 2022 NZ Dairy Manager of the Year Jaspal Singh, his win means “success”.
Singh joined the dairy industry in 2015 as a farm assistant in Mossburn and is now farm manager on Mark and Carmen Hurst’s 220ha, 800-cow property at Waimate.
“Eight years ago, I came from India as an IT student and I faced a lot of challenges which I have gotten through. So yes, this win means success and is a reward for all my hard work,” Singh says.
He says farming in NZ is vastly different to India where farms are not as big and not as advanced.
“But I have a keen and positive attitude and a love for the cows. The dairy industry here offers a lot of opportunities and I am keen to progress,” he says.
Looking ahead, he will be stepping up to a variable order sharemilking position on the same farm for the 2023-24 season. He then hopes to move to a 50:50 position then farm ownership.
Runner-up is Robyn Mare from West Coast/Top of the South and Hayden Purvis from Bay of Plenty placed third.
The 2022 Dairy Trainee of the Year was awarded to Peter O’Connor who is described by the judges as a mature, capable person with extremely strong practical skills.
O’Connor grew up on a family farm near Westport and says he never really put much thought into doing anything other than dairying.
“I did, at one stage, think of doing engineering but decided sitting in an office behind a desk for eight hours a day wasn’t my thing,” O’Connor says.
He is currently 2IC for contract milkers Steven and Rosie Ketter on the 242ha, 900-cow Mayfield property on Leighton and Michelle Pye’s farm. He will take on the management role for the Ketters in the coming season.
He says he has learned a lot on the job.
“I came into my job a bit too green for the position, so it was a steep learning curve. Steven was really great and helped me out. I just had to roll up my sleeves and get on with it,” he says.
“I had the technical aspects from my university studies, but my practical skills were a bit lacking. “
O’Connor says he will be looking at some AG ITO papers to complete in the future to further his studies.
“There is always lots to learn on the farm and about farming, which I really enjoy,” he says.
Runner-up is Thomas Lundman from Bay of Plenty and Zoe Bryson placed third. n
Tavendale and Partners is a leading New Zealand law firm with an unrivalled understanding of the country's most important primary industries. Our focus is on your success and the success of New Zealand's agricultural industry. We are proud to support the New Zealand Dairy Awards.
Leading change through innovation
By Anne-Marie Case-Miller
Craigmore Farming Services, Canterbury/North Otago were named the 2022 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award winners during the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards and received the John Wilson Memorial Trophy.
The prestigious award was introduced by NZDIA and Fonterra to recognise dairy farmers who demonstrate leadership in their approach to sustainability and who are respected by their fellow farmers and their community for their attitude and role in sustainable dairying.
“It was a privilege to engage with all three finalists and the quality of the presentations was exceptional,” head judge Conall Buchanan says.
Fellow judge Charlotte Rutherford from Fonterra, agrees.
“The future of the industry feels in such good hands when you are able to spend time with people like our finalists,” Rutherford says.
“It’s encouraging and motivating and you wish you could send them out around the country to speak to all farmers because we left the room energised by what they had to say.”
While all the finalists were impressive, the winning entry represented by Stuart Taylor, GM Farming and Caroline Amyes, Agri Relationship Partner, stood out due to Craigmore’s focus on adapting individual farm systems to the land, resources and the people involved.
“This is a strength that our industry will increasingly use in the years ahead,” the judges say.
One of Craigmore’s philosophies is that there is no single perfect system.
“Craigmore begins with the people that are going to be on the land and their motivations and goals for the land and animals,’ judge Melissa Slattery says.
“People influence the system that the farms adopt because the passion and drive was linked to the people that were running the farms.”
The judges were impressed at Craigmore’s philosophy of adapting the farm system on each one of their 22 farms to suit the environment and the people.
The judges said Craigmore are demonstrating and implementing new technology that’s proven to function in a way that is achievable and realistic for other farmers.
“Craigmore are leading change and using different innovations on different farms, to help create solutions that other farmers could then use, including dung beetles, working on their significant natural areas, a composting barn, boluses and are trialling Halter on one of their farms,” the judges say.
“Just like every farmer, Craigmore are on a journey and are continually seeking ways to grow and challenge themselves.
2022 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award winners Craigmore Farming Services were represented by Stuart Taylor and Caroline Amyes.
IF YOU’RE FOCUSED ON FUTURE PERFORMANCE, YOU’RE IN GOOD COMPANY.
Each season, hard working farmers and rearers seek better ways of setting themselves up for a better, more productive year ahead.
Here at NZAgbiz, we work with our customers to also think about next year, and the years after that. Greater efficiency and productivity in the future requires making the best decisions early.
Start with quality. Start with research and proven results. Start with kiwi-owned and excellence in sustainability.
Start with the future in mind.
