ACC backs young farmers with FMG Young Farmer of the Year partnership
The Government has announced that ACC will be a sponsor of this year's FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition.
Jake Jarman has been named FMG Young Farmer of the Year 2021.
The ANZ relationship associate represented the Taranaki Manawatu region, beating six other finalists for the prestigious title at Wigram Airforce Museum in Christchurch on Saturday night.
“I’m just also so incredibly thankful to so many people, far too many to name but it’s a huge team of people to pull together this event and a big team behind me to get me here too”.
Jarman says he was determined to give the grand final his best shot after signing up to the contest to just give it a go.
“I was happy that I gave everything a go to the best of my ability and be competitive. I loved the practical day, the challenge of having to multitask under time pressure and be a bit strategic”.
He says he never dreamed he would win the title but was immensely proud of the achievement and hoped it would inspire others.
The victory was a cumination of days of practical and technical challenges set out to test the seven finalists’ skills, knowledge and stamina.
Contestants participated in a technical day, a practical day, speeches, exams and the FMG Young Farmer of the Year buzzer quiz.
Jarman won a prize package worth over $75,000, including a $15,000 cash prize.
“My fellow competitors certainly didn’t make it easy and honestly, I feel like it was anyone's game for the whole three days. It’s been a privilege getting to know them and to now call them friends”.
Congratulating Jarman, New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Lynda Coppersmith says he is a fantastic representative for contest and the agriculture, food and fibres sector.
“It is an absolute honour to have Jake named as the 2021 FMG Young Farmer of the Year,” she says.
“Jake is a fantastic leader for the ag sector, a role model and has already inspired other young people to believe in themselves and showcase what they’re made of. It’s incredibly exciting to see what lies ahead for Jake and as the 2021 FMG Young Farmer of the Year, we are grateful to be able to part of that.”
Full Results
FMG Young Farmer of the Year: Jake Jarman, Taranaki/Manawatu Region
Runner Up FMG Young Farmer of the Year: Joseph Watts, East Coast Region
Third Place FMG Young Farmer of the Year: Calvin Ball, Northern Region
Agri Business Challenge Winner: Jake Jarman, Taranaki/Manawatu Region
Agri Sports Challenge Winner: Jake Jarman, Taranaki/Manawatu Region
Agri Skills Challenge Winner: Joseph Watts, East Coast Region
Agri Knowledge Challenge Winner: Jake Jarman, Taranaki/Manawatu Region
Community Footprint Winner: Calvin Ball, Northern Region
The proposed retrenchment of Heinz Wattied's manufacturing presenced in New Zealand will be a blow to the wallets of more than 200 Canterbury vegetable growers.
The cost of running a New Zealand farm is now 27% higher than it was before Covid, putting sustained pressure on profitability acrfoss the sector, according to new ANZ research.
Rural contractors are getting guidance on how to deal with recent rising fuel prices.
An Ōpunake farmer with a poor effluent system has been fined $35,000 with a discount on the penalty discarded after he charged at a Taranaki Regional Council officer inspecting the ‘systematic problems’ on his farm.
The horticulture sector is under threat because of vulnerabilities of the country's transport infrastructure, according to a report commissioned by a collective representing a range of groups in the sector.
Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dan Boulton says the meat processor wants to find ways of getting product destined for Middle East markets into those markets as opposed to try and place them elsewhere.

OPINION: President Trump's tariff wars have torpedoed the US grain belt's biggest market, China, sending many US family farms to…
OPINION: It's no surprise to this old mutt that some politicians are done playing nice with the low rent media…