Emotional win at NZ dairy awards Nursery owner sounds alarm on myrtle rust
Share Farmers of the Year Christopher and Siobhan O’malley endured an emotional rollercoaster ride during the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.
The joy of taking out the top share farmer prize was tinged with concern after Christopher’s father was rushed to hospital earlier in the evening after he collapsed at their table during the awards function at Auckland’s Sky City Convention Centre on May 6.
The medical emergency saw Federated Farmers national president Dr William Rolleston administer first aid until medical staff arrive.
Christopher said his father was fine and he was able to watch his son and daughter-in-law’s progress from the hospital bed after the awards organisers live streamed it for him.
‘‘They are more disappointed than us as they wanted to be here,’’ he said. ’’Particularly now that we know he’s okay,’’ Siobhan added.
Winning the award was the end of a really long journey, she said.
‘‘We have entered in the awards three times, and this year we put in maximum effort and a lot of hours and it’s awesome for it to come off.’’
The couple also won three merit awards for human resources, interviewing, and recording and productivity.
The O’malleys 50:50 sharemilk 515 cows on Graham Brooker’s 138ha farm near Ashburton.
They wanted to use their awards success to promote and educate urban schoolchildren.
Ngakuru 50:50 sharemilkers Carlos and Bernice Delos Santos were runners-up and Taranaki 50:50 sharemilkers Dion and Johanna Bishell placed third.
Hayley Hoogendyk became the first woman on her own to be named New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year.
The 28-year-old manages Nigel, Roger and Noelene Taylor ‘s 220ha, 600 cow property in Rongotea and was the Dairy Trainee of the Year winner for Manawatu in 2014.
‘‘I definitely wasn’t expecting this,’’ she said upon receiving the award. Hoogendyk thanked her parents, employers and staff who had all helped her achieve this award.
Hororata farm manager Kerry Higgins was runner-up in the Farm Manager of the Year contest and Te Kauwhata assistant manager Rachel Foy was third.
The New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year contest was won by Clay Paton. The 23-year-old second-in-charge (2IC), who farms at Dovedale, southwest of Nelson, said winning the award was an incredible honour.
Ashburton Ben Haley was Trainee of the Year runner-up and Reporoa second-in-charge Taylor Macdonald was third. Kerikeri nursery owner Tom Lindesay knew the moment he saw the telltale yellow patches on his pohutukawa seedlings that it was myrtle rust.
Lindesay’s nursery is now the epicentre of an operation by biosecurity officials to try and contain the fungus, although it is likely that thousands if not millions of the microscopic spores have been distributed by the wind.
A second discovery at another nursery has since tested negative.
‘‘We spotted it [last week] and checked it with some of the information that’s been sent to us about the disease. So we immediately called the Primary Industries 0800 number ... After they confirmed it was myrtle rust, we had to close.’’
Conservation Minister Maggie Barry said the threat was not only to native trees like pohutukawa, manuka and rata, it was also a threat to common plants like feijoa, eucalypts and bottle brush.
‘‘Any new fresh growth will be a magnet ... we’re asking everyone to have a good look at their plants. We are throwing everything we’ve got at this.’’
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said manuka was a particular concern, and it was 3-5 years before signs showed up in affected plants in Australia.
When asked whether it would stop the transfer of beehives from the Far North to regions to the south, he said it was ‘‘unlikely at the moment’’.
‘‘We are dealing with a single find at the nursery and are working with the apiculture industry and keeping them well informed and engaged,’’ Guy said.
Comvita chief executive Scott Coulter said honey production in Australia based on manuka did not seem to have been affected. Its joint venture partner there, Capilano, had not reported the rust on plants. MPI’S director response Geoff Gwyn said a field headquarters had been set up at the DOC office in Kerikeri.
The nursery had been sprayed with a fungicide and officials were now searching for further signs.