The season for awards - yawn!!
OPINION: It seems every bugger in this country can get an award these days.
2016 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Manager of the Year, Hayden Kerr (26), wants to inspire others to do well in the industry.
He is a manager on the 270-cow farm his parents, Craig and Janine Kerr, own at Rotongaro, near Huntly; he won $14,000 in prizes.
"I am a fast progressing and results driven young farmer, wanting to inspire other young adults to do well in the industry," Kerr says.
He entered the dairy trainee competition in his first season dairy farming in 2013 and was placed in the top six. "I found it a great way to measure my skill level and help me assess what I needed to learn as a trainee before moving on to a farm manager role.
"Now, as a farm manager I have gained confidence in my skills and have a plan of where I am going in the industry and how I am going to get there. Also, the networking I have done since entering the awards has been beneficial in sourcing knowledge and resources for my progression."
Kerr says working for a family business with a small herd had enabled him to be hands-on and involved in all areas of the business.
The former motorcycle mechanic now plans to progress through sharemilking or an equity partnership to farm ownership.
Jacob Jenkins (22), a second-in-charge, was runner-up in the dairy manager competition, winning $8000 in prizes. Third place went to Paeroa farm manager David Rawnsley (36), who won $4500 in prizes.
The 2016 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Trainee of the Year, James Doidge (20), won $7765 in prizes; he is second-in-charge on a 500-cow property owned by Stuart and Kim Muir at Aka Aka.
He entered the awards once before to gain experience. "I thought the judges' feedback would benefit me and it would help me become a better dairy farmer."
He left school aged 16 to enter the dairy industry and worked for Muir for two years before having to take time off to recover from an accident. He returned to Muirs' farm last year.
"My farming goal is to progress through the industry until I can buy cows and go sharemilking, while I save money to buy a farm."
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.