Award entrants make play for power

A 'power play' concept now features in the 2016 awards scheme. It enables an entrant in the awards' Dairy Manager of the Year (formerly Farm Manager of the Year) competition to choose one topic from five options to present to judges.

In cricket power play is used in limited overs games and includes mandatory field restrictions.

NZ Dairy Awards general manager Chris Keeping says judging is now underway in the awards, and feedback on how the power play concept is working for entrants and judges is positive.

"The power play lets an entrant draw on their strengths and gives each presentation an individual flair."

Keeping says the component is worth 20% of total marks and is aimed at appealing to entrants of all ages.

All the competitions are revamped for 2016 to enable more people to enter and to make the competitions more even.

"The upshot is that the dairy manager competition caters for a wide range of age, abilities and experience in the industry. Power play assists all entrants to focus on one area they know well, and are trained and confident in."

The five options to choose from are farm financial, health and safety, technology and innovation, team management, and farm environment.

Industry training organisation Primary ITO sponsors a merit award for the entrant who scores highest in the power play.

"Primary ITO is proud to support the new power play category in this year's NZDIA competition. The Power Play merit award encourages entrants to play to their strengths, and we believe this kind of adaptability is vital to dairying success," explains Primary ITO chief executive Mark Jeffries.

"The industry needs people who are flexible, technically capable and innovative problem solvers with critical thinking skills. We have embraced this holistic approach in our new agricultural training programmes that aim to 'work the way you work' – designed to ensure our trainees leave with the skills and knowledge required to consistently perform in the workplace.

"We must create lifelong learners and the Power Play award, encouraging initiative and flexibility, helps develop the skills required to negotiate the peaks and troughs of the dairy sector."

Entrants in the Dairy Manager of the Year competition are also judged on their farming abilities, stock management, feed management, and personal attributes such as community involvement, training, goal setting and presentation skills.

The awards are supported by Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra Farm Source, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and Primary ITO.

The first 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards regional winners will be announced in Taranaki on March 4. www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz