Ravensdown partners with Footrot Flats to celebrate Kiwi farming heritage
Ravensdown has announced a collaboration with Kiwi icon, Footrot Flats in an effort to bring humour, heart, and connection to the forefront of the farming sector.
Ravensdown’s Technical Development manager Michael White addresses the crowd about solving the challenges of hill country farms topography with remote sensing technology to improve the identification of nutrient requirements – Photo by Steve Attwood
Winners' field day goers witnessed the spectacular scene of more than 75 cars snaking through the back tracks of Omarama station.
The cars, in a plume of high country dust, were a visual highlight of the South Island Farmer of the Year winners' field day on Monday.
But for the more than 250 attendees, the real meat in the day was the challenges and opportunities put to them by a variety of speakers.
Hosted by the Lincoln University Foundation and title winners Richard and Annabelle Subtil and their team, the field day was a popular attraction with visitors from throughout New Zealand.
Foundation chair Ben Todhunter says the day had a strong theme of looking forward and new opportunities.
Advances in farm technology, soil science, pasture trial successes in demanding high country soils, stock genetics, data collection and application, and innovative thinking were featured, Todhunter says.
"The day had an air of optimism for New Zealand high country farming, highlighted by end users such as Silver Fern Farms (red meats) and Icebreaker (fine wools) looking at the growing benefits to New Zealand of farmers working directly with their companies to produce what the consumer wants."
Todhunter says the diverse audience was actively interested with sharp and testing questions being put to presenters.
New Zealand's new Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Horowhenua dairy farmer, company director and former Minister of Agriculture, Nathan Guy says the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India is a good deal for the country.
New figures show dairy farmers are not only holding on to their international workforce, but are also supporting those staff to step into higher-skilled roles on farm.
New tractor deliveries for 2025 jumped 10% compared to the previous year, a reflection of the positive primary sector outlook, according to the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA).
Entries have opened for two awards in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) programme, aimed at helping young farmers progress to farm ownership.
Federated Farmers has confirmed interim chief executive Mike Siermans to the role.
Registrations are now open for the 2026 Ruralco Golf Classic, with all proceeds from the event set to support the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust.

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