increase font size
The importance of people, and the knowledge they hold, to New Zealand's agricultural success has been highlighted in a new award for the Lincoln University Foundation's South Island Farmer of the Year competition.
Chairman Ben Todhunter says the foundation, with the support of the Bank of New Zealand, is offering a $5000 cash prize to the competition for best use of human resources.
The BNZ Human Resources Award is one of four new categories we have introduced to the competition, in addition to the main prize of a $20,000 travel/study fund, says Todhunter.
"Each of these categories recognise how multi-skilled agricultural business has become to maintain New Zealand's leading edge as a world class producer."
Todhunter says the award was created to recognise the importance of human resource management in a farm business, including the crucial role people play as innovators and creators and passers on of knowledge; and the contribution to business success that is achieved through strong and effective relationships, internally and externally.
BNZ head of Agribusiness, Richard Bowman, says an award highlighting the importance of recognising and sharing the skills that sit behind New Zealand's agribusiness sector is an important addition to the competition.
"The value of the products produced here is well understood, but just as important is the knowledge, techniques and skill that produces those products," says Bowman.
"New Zealand leads the world in farming methodology and process, but the commercial value of those skills is often undervalued, both within the sector and across the wider economy."
Bowman says that passing on that intellectual property is a critical part of industry succession planning.
"Developing human resource management processes designed to pass knowledge to young farmers and identify talent will ensure New Zealand's agribusinesses continue to thrive and lead our country's export growth."
Nominations and/or entries for the South Island Farmer of the Year competition for 2013 are open now and will close on August 1 2013. Judging will occur during September/October with the finals night in November.
The overall winner will have demonstrated that they are in the top echelon of agricultural producers, that the farm business is sustainable and that they have developed, or are in the process of developing, a new approach or approaches, either inside or beyond the farm gate, that will enhance their farming activity.
The other special category prizes are:
• The Silver Fern Farms 'Plate to Pasture' award for consumer focus
• The Lincoln University award for technology and innovation
• The Resource Use efficiency award for excellence in the sustainable and efficient use of resources.
Dairy and beef farmers could be eligible for lower interest lending options for financing Halter on their farms, with ANZ, ASB and BNZ now offering a pathway to sustainability loans for New Zealand’s largest virtual fencing provider.
Could there finally be positive news for the red meat sector after a period of challenging economic conditions?
A joint venture between the Government and private sector companies, aiming to get emissions reduction tools into Kiwi farmers’ hands sooner, continues to attract support.
In a win for rural advocacy groups, New Zealand’s five largest banks have agreed to keep regional branches open for three more years.
Dairy farmers struggling to breakeven can expect better prospects next season.
This International Women's Day, there are calls to address a reported gender disparity gap between men women New Zealand's horticulture industry leadership.
WorkSafe New Zealand is calling on farmers to consider how vehicles move inside their barns and sheds, following a sentencing for a death at one of South Canterbury’s biggest agribusinesses.
Now is not the time to stop incorporating plantain into dairy pasture systems to reduce nitrogen (N) loss, says Agricom Australasia brand manager Mark Brown.
Building on the success of last year's events, the opportunity to attend People Expos is back for 2025, offering farmers the chance to be inspired and gain more tips and insights for their toolkits to support their people on farm.
Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser SustaiN – which contains a urease inhibitor that reduces the amount of ammonia released to the air – has now been registered by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI). It is the first fertiliser in New Zealand to achieve this status.
Precision application of nitrogen can improve yields, but the costs of testing currently outweigh improved returns, according to new research from Plant and Food Research, MPI and Ravensdown.
OPINION: Henry Dimbleby, author of the UK's Food Strategy, recently told the BBC: "Meat production is about 85% of our…
OPINION: For the last few weeks, we've witnessed a parade of complaints about New Zealand's school lunch program: 'It's arriving…
