FMG Young Farmer title finalists
Four dairy farmers are among the seven finalists vying for the FMG Young Farmer of the Year title.
DEFENDING TASMAN champion, Reuben Carter, is the first Grand Finalist to be named for the 2014 ANZ Young Farmer Contest.
The 30-year-old agronomist took first place at the Tasman Regional Final in Murchison at the A&P Show over the weekend, Saturday, February 15.
Carter had a dominant performance leading for most of the day and took out both the Silver Fern Farms Agri-Sports and Ravensdown Agri-Skills Challenges giving him solid platform going into the evening show.
The Christchurch City Club member went home with a prize pack worth over $10,000 including cash, scholarships and products and services from ANZ, Lincoln University, Ravensdown, AGMARDT, Silver Fern Farms, Honda, Husqvarna and Vodafone.
Second place went to Andrew Wiffen, 26, of the Renwick Club. Mr Wiffen took home $2,900 worth of prizes and also won the Lincoln University Agri-Growth Challenge.
Sarah O'Connell, 29, of the Dunsandel Club, placed third and was also the top scorer in the AGMARDT Agri-Business Challenge.
And, in a close fourth, was James Hoban, of the Hurunui Club.
Carter is off to the Grand Final in Christchurch, 3-5 July where he will battle it out for the Champion's title and over $300,000 in prizes.
For more information visit www.youngfarmers.co.nz
A stable but uncertain year lies ahead for New Zealand primary products, says Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Director General, Ray Smith.
Additional tariffs introduced by the Chinese Government last month on beef imports should favour New Zealand farmers and exporters.
Primary sector leaders have praised the government and its officials for putting the Indian free trade deal together in just nine months.
Primary sector leaders have welcomed the announcement of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and New Zealand.
Dairy farmers are still in a good place despite volatile global milk prices.
Legal controls on the movement of fruits and vegetables are now in place in Auckland’s Mt Roskill suburb, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis.

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