Responsible dairy champ

By Gerald Piddock

Being a responsible farmer is living by the philosophy of looking after every aspect of the farm, from its people and animals to the grass and water.

Oxford farmer Cameron

Henderson has been named the 2023 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award winner at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, receiving the John Wilson Memorial Trophy.

The prestigious award was introduced by the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards 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.

Henderson runs a 400ha dairy, dairy support and arable farming business near Oxford, North Canterbury.

In a video presentation that was played at the awards night in Auckland, Henderson said that being responsible evolved from survival to a wide-ranging philosophy that encompasses all aspects of the business.

“Things have changed since then, but the one part that hasn’t changed is that real sense of trying to do the right thing and to be proud of what we do and being responsible in everything that we do here at Henderson Farms.

“What does responsible farming mean to us? It’s really all-inclusive, it’s environmental sustainability, it’s looking after the land, environment and water, it’s looking after the animals and our people.”

Henderson said he has a passion for innovation and collaborates with others to try new things and find possible solutions to industry challenges.

Upon receiving the award, he said responsible dairying is all about pride in the industry and he had met a lot of very proud and responsible dairy farmers in the week leading up to the awards.

He thanked wife Sarah, who he called his “greatest supporter”, as well as other family members and his farm team.

Awards head judge Melissa Slattery said all of the finalists were constantly looking to improve and were never done.

“But Cameron wasn’t afraid to pull back if something didn’t work.

“He was always looking to incrementally make gains in reducing his environmental footprint, including N leaching measurement, dung beetles, compost and planting shelter for his animals.”

The judges noted that Henderson’s engineering background and inquisitive nature, together with strong networks, generated innovative on-farm solutions to everyday challenges.

Fellow judge Michael Heard said Henderson has strong attention-to-detail skills and is very data-driven.

“He looks at the whole farm and doesn’t just do something because it’s good for the environment, he also considers what the impact on the bottom line is.”

Another of the judges, Connal Buchanan, agreed: “He has a very comprehensive approach and has a clear focus on drivers of his business.”

The judges were impressed with Henderson’s extensive leadership roles and community involvement in a number of local and national projects and organisations.

Oxford farmer Cameron Henderson, who won the prestigious 2023 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, and wife Sarah with the John Wilson Memorial Trophy.

Heard said Henderson is essentially spending more time involved with community projects than farming.

“He’s built his business to give him the flexibility to really get involved in the numerous environmental projects he is passionate about, including being a founder and trustee of the Waimakariri Landcare Trust, a member of the ECan Regional Water committee and various roles on the Dairy Environment Leaders group.”

Henderson is also a director of Ballance Agri-Nutrients and holds roles with the North Canterbury Farmers Charitable Trust and Waimakariri Landcare Trust.

He is a previous president of North Canterbury Federated Farmers, associate director at DairyNZ, and steering group member for He Waka Eke Noa.

A Nuffield and Kellogg scholar, Cameron was awarded the inaugural Synlait Farming for a Healthier World Award in 2022.

The other finalists for the Responsible Dairying Award were Tararua farmers Thomas and Jennifer Read. n