Nominees announced for Young Māori Farmer Competition
Young Maori farmers from Northland, the King Country and Tairawhiti are the finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua Competition for the top Maori sheep and beef farmer.
Coby Warmington, 29, a farm manager at Waima Topu Beef near Hokianga was named at the winner of the 2025 Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer Award for sheep and beef.
The announcement was made by the Maori Trustee, Dr Charlotte Severne at the Ahuwhenua awards dinner held in Palmerston North.
This competition was inaugurated in 2012 and is designed to recognise up-and-coming young Maori in the pastoral and horticulture sectors.
The other finalists in the 2025 competition were Grace Watson and Puhirere Tau.
Warmington says he was extremely surprised and happy at receiving the award. He says he entered the competition with the objective of looking to broaden his comfort zone and challenge himself socially and mentally and said that is exactly what happened.
Severne says Te Tumu Paeroa is proud to sponsor the competition which is a celebration of the achievements of inspirational young Maori farmers thriving in the agrisector, all while championing in the sustainability of the whenua. She says the awards continue to showcase the development of young Maori leaders and announced that each of the finalists would receive a $5,000 cash scholarship with the winner receiving an additional $5,000.
Lead judge Sam Vivian-Greer representing Te Tumu Paeroa says once again all three finalists had shown a passion and love for the sheep and beef sector and had made significant achievements in their respective roles.
The Chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee Nukuhia Hadfield says all finalists displayed a great passion for the whenua and a desire to take their careers to new heights and into leadership roles.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.
The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.
Dignitaries from all walks of life – the governor general, politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Todd McClay is encouraging farmers, growers, and foresters not to take unnecessary risks, asking that they heed weather warnings today.
With nearly two million underutilised dairy calves born annually and the beef price outlook strong, New Zealand’s opportunity to build a scalable dairy-beef system is now.
Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) says it is backing aspiring dairy farmers through a new initiative designed to make the first step to farm ownership or sharemilking easier.
OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…
One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…