Finalists facing awards decisions
With a theme of Dairy Wearable Arts, the 2018 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards dinner promises to be an evening not to be missed.
One of the highlights of the dairy industry calendar, the winners will be announced at an awards dinner at TSB Hub in Hawera on Monday, March 5, with categories for Share Farmer of the Year, Dairy Manager of the Year, and Dairy Trainee of the Year.
The three winners will then go on to compete at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards with winners announced in Invercargill on Saturday, May 12.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards attracts farmers from across the country, working in all levels of the dairy industry.
The three competitions give entrants the chance to challenge themselves, earn a regional or national title and to share in substantial regional and national prize pools.
Taranaki regional managers Ben and Belinda Price say the regional awards dinners are always a night of celebration, and not just for the winners. ‘‘The regional dinners not only focus on the regional winners and those in other categories such as the merit awards, but provide another opportunity to meet, network and socialise with like-minded people who live and breathe the dairy industry.
‘‘It’s also an opportunity for the volunteers and sponsors to be acknowledged. They provide invaluable support in so many ways to the entrants and the competition in general. Plus, it’s a chance for everyone to relax and have some fun!’’
New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards general manager Chris Keeping says entering one of the competitions remains one of the best ways people can raise their profile and reputation, as well as to learn more about the industry to progress their career.
‘‘The overwhelmingly positive feedback we receive from entrants is how much they learnt during the process and how glad they are they entered,’’ she says. ‘‘Entrants tell us that they really had to sit down and look at their business and how they were doing things on the farm and why.’’ ‘‘Entering the awards really is a learning journey – about the industry, about your business and about you as a farmer,’’ says Chris.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra Farm Source, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, and Ravensdown, along with industry partner Primary ITO.
The three competitions in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are: The Share Farmer of the Year – open to all self-employed farmers largely responsible for the day-to-day running of the farm, such as sharemilkers, contract milkers, lessees and equity farm managers.
The Dairy Manager of the Year competition – open to all salaried farm workers, including farm assistants, assistant farm managers, 2IC’s, operations managers, farm managers, herd managers, production managers and others. The Dairy Trainee of the Year contest is open to those aged between 18 to 25 years who have not completed an NZQA Level 5 or above in any field of study, with no more than three years’ full-time experience on a dairy farm.
A regional winners field day will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at a venue yet to be announced.
To purchase tickets for the Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards Dinner and for more information on the New Zealand Dairy Awards visit www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz. Ticket sales close Wednesday, February 28.