Friday, 04 February 2022 15:55

Rhys Roberts crowned NZ winner of Zanda McDonald Award

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Rhys Roberts has been named the winner of the New Zealand Zanda McDonald Award.

An entrepreneurial approach to primary production has resulted in Rhys Roberts of mid-Canterbury receiving the 2022 New Zealand Zanda McDonald Award.

Roberts is chief executive of the Align Group, who operate seven farms, a market garden and are vertically integrated with a yoghurt brand and milk processing facility.

Now in its eighth year, the Zanda McDonald Award supports talented and passionate young professionals in the ag sector from Australia and New Zealand.

Roberts will receive a trans-Tasman package centred around mentoring, education and training that is tailored to his needs.

“Rhys is highly ambitious, and he’s prepared to break the mould of the past and do things differently. Some of the results he’s seeing, due to his innovative approach, are nothing short of exceptional,” says Zanda McDonald Award patron Shane McManaway.

“He has a strong environmental and wellbeing focus, as well as creating a significant difference to the company’s bottom line. As judges we were extremely impressed and inspired by his leadership, and know he has a very strong future ahead of him.”

Roberts says he is thrilled to receive the award.

“It’s such a privilege, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity. A definite highlight for me will be the trans-Tasman mentoring trip, where I’ll get to spend time with top ag leaders in New Zealand and Australia, as well as previous award winners and finalists. The learnings I’ll get from that experience will be absolutely life-changing,” he says.

The award interviews and presentation were originally going to be held in Martinborough, but this changed to an online format as a result of the change to red on the traffic light system.

Once Covid restrictions ease, Roberts along with the three other finalists will get together for media training and to spend some time with leaders in the sector.

As the 2022 winner, Roberts will receive a professional development package that includes an all-expenses paid trans-Tasman mentoring trip to high performing farms and businesses in Australia and New Zealand, $10,000 towards further education along with a series of networking opportunities.

Featured

Major shakeup for the NZ science system

The government has announced a major restructuring of the country's seven crown research institutes (CRIs), which will see them merged into three public research organisations (PROs).

Putting theory into practice

Hamish and Rachel Hammond jumped at the chance to put their university learning into practice by taking up a contract milking offer right after graduation.

Workers a big part of the farming business

"We couldn't do this without our team. They are integral to everything." That's the first thing that Te Awamutu dairy farmers Jayson and Stacey Thompson have to say about their team.

Editorial: O Canada

OPINION: The Canadian government's love affair with its lifestyle dairy farmers has got it into trouble once again.

Tough year for UK farmers

Volatile input costs, fluctuating commodity prices, a reduction in direct payments and one of the wettest periods in decades that resulted in a disastrous harvest, have left their mark and many UK farming businesses worse off.