Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:03

Finalists lined up for Farm Manager of the Year title

Written by 

THE 11 finalists competing for the 2013 New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year title are split between contract milkers and farm managers – as well as age, experience, and farm size.

 

Judging began this week for the finalists – four men and seven couples. 

It involves a two-hour farm visit covering financial planning, human resource and farm management. The final component of the judging, an interview, will take place in Wellington prior to the winners being announced at on May 24. 

Winners in the 2013 New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year will also be announced and nearly $150,000 in prizes will be given away.

National convenor Chris Keeping says it is the eleventh year of the farm manager contest, which had also become a dual between contract milkers and farm managers.

The finalists this year include five contract milkers and six farm managers. A contract milker is self-employed and paid on a specific dollar value/kgMS (such as $1/kgMS) to oversee the farm production system. They are responsible for some of the farm expenditure and may also contribute some equipment such as a bike. A farm manager is responsible for the financial and physical performance of the farm, including recruiting and managing any staff.

“One of the great aspects of the dairy industry is that there are a number of ways people can develop their farming skills and knowledge and build their equity to take the next step in their career.”

Keeping says most of the finalists (eight) are aged under 30 years old and one, Bay of Plenty’s representative Chris Mexted, is only in his first full season dairy farming.

The oldest finalist, the West Coast/Top of the South’s Blue Benseman, is 53 years old and is also managing the largest herd (1050). Benseman is one of four finalists who had entered the awards for the first time. 

It is the second time five had entered and two finalists are third time entrants, including Auckland Hauraki representative Kylie Cox.  Cox has entered the dairy trainee contest twice before but is entering the farm manager contest for the first time with husband Michael, an experienced builder. 

More like this

Rugby years help shape new farmer’s resilience

Who says rugby and dairying don’t mix well? Just ask James Foote, a semi-professional rugby player who switched to dairying four years ago and recently notched up one of the biggest wins of his career.

Dairy winners drive profit

The winners of the 2015 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are ahead of the game in driving profitability on farms during a forecast period of low milk payouts, say judges.

Featured

Editorial: Right call

OPINION: Public pressure has led to Canterbury Police rightly rolling back its proposed restructure that would have seen several rural police stations closed in favour of centralised hubs.

National

Machinery & Products

New McHale terra drive axle option

Well-known for its Fusion baler wrapper combination, Irish manufacturer McHale has launched an interesting option at the recent Irish Ploughing…

Amazone unveils flagship spreader

With the price of fertiliser still significantly higher than 2024, there is an increased onus on ensuring its spread accurately at…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Fonterra vote

OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.

Follow the police beat

OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter