2027 NZ Dairy Industry Awards Open for Entries
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.
As an all-region sponsor, the Kiwi company will present the Herd-i Health & Safety Merit Award in the Dairy Manager of the Year category at each of the 11 regional award evenings.
The award recognises the Dairy Manager of the Year entrant in each region who demonstrates excellence in health and safety management, systems and practices within their farming business or role.
NZDIA Trust Chair Paulette Johns says every Dairy Manager entrant, wherever they farm, will be assessed against the same standard.
Johns says the partnership is a valuable addition to the awards programme.
“We are delighted to bring Herd-i into our family of sponsors at an all-region level,” she says. “Herd-i technology puts eyes on every cow’s Body Condition Score or Lameness score to allow farmers to act early and make more informed decisions. That focus on cow health sits right at the heart of what good dairy management is about.”
She says the award highlights managers who are doing the fundamentals exceptionally well by creating safe, productive and sustainable workplaces, and who show strong leadership and commitment to health and safety on-farm. “Those are exactly the skills the industry needs in its next generation of leaders.”
Having one sponsor present the same award across all 11 regions gives consistency and profile to all-region sponsors, Johns says, and visibly bolsters the importance of health and safety at manager level on farms.
Herd-i Chair Peter Mitchell says the sponsorship is a chance to support dairy farmers nationwide and celebrate the people contributing to the industry’s future.
“New Zealand farmers have played a big part in Herd-i’s journey by using our technology in real farming conditions and sharing their honest feedback with us,” he says. “Supporting the Awards is another way for us to give something back.”
Mitchell says the Herd-i team is looking forward to getting out into the regions, meeting entrants and celebrating their achievements. He adds that Herd-i’s focus on improving herd health and productivity goes hand in hand with looking after people on farm.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors ASB, CowManager, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Honda, LIC and Power Farming, along with industry partners Fonterra, DairyNZ and The Country.
Entries opened for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards on 5 October. To enter, visit dairyindustryawards.co.nz.
