Farm consultant bags award

The award was presented in a dawn ceremony at Whangara Farms, north of Gisborne, last month.

The award, which is presented annually, recognises young professionals in the sector from Australia and New Zealand.

Normally, the Award would crown one winner from across Australasia but due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions, an Australian and New Zealand winner have been crowned for 2021.

"It's a huge honour, and I'm just blown away," says Vivian-Greer of his win.

"I'm really looking forward to spending time with top ag leaders in New Zealand and Australia, finding out more about how they tick, and how I can apply those learnings to my own career, and the ag sector," he says.

Zanda McDonald Award patron Shane McManaway says that Sam is a warm and professional person with a strong passion for agriculture who is having a positive influence on the sector.

"The judging team was really impressed with his dedication to his role, his leadership and spirit," says McManaway.

"We're excited to see what the future holds for Sam, and look forward to helping him calve out his path through the opportunities provided by the Award," he says.

As the winner of the award, Vivian-Greer will receive a professional development package which includes ana all-expenses paid trans-Tasman mentoring trip to high-performing farms and businesses in Australia and New Zealand. It also includes $10,000 to go towards further education and networking opportunities.