Young winemakers
2015 saw the first ever Young Winemaker of the Year competition held in New Zealand.
THE 46th SEASON of the ANZ Young Farmer Contest officially got underway last Friday, October 4 at the Commodore Hotel in Christchurch.
The current champion of the ANZ Young Farmer Contest and agri manager with ANZ, Tim Van de Molen says the great thing about the contest is learning about new things and getting out of your comfort zone.
"You would never push yourself to do these things if it were not for the contest," says Van de Molen.
Volunteers dedicate many hours and use their passion for the industry to make the all the events, from District Finals right through to Grand Final huge successes year after year.
Terry Copeland, New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive says the enthusiasm across club members is infectious.
"I really think that this year will be the most fiercely contested," he says. "The ANZ Young Farmer Contest is the most inspiring and comprehensive rural challenge for competitors in the world. The commitment and achievements from our entrants is both aspirational and awe inspiring for our youth.
"Past winners have gone on to become inspiring leaders within the broader agricultural sector and this year's crop of competitors should bring through another set of great role models who will push the boundaries across all sectors to show what a diverse career path the primary industries have to offer."
ANZ has been the principal sponsor of the Young Farmer Contest since 2003.
The first of the 24 District Finals took place in Christchurch and Massey University on Saturday, October 5 and place getters from these events will progress to one of seven Regional Finals held throughout the country from February to April. The Grand Final will be held in Christchurch from July 3-5.
For more information and the latest results go to www.youngfarmercontest.co.nz or contact:
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.
New Zealand farming is riding a high, with strong prices, full feed covers and improving confidence lining up at the same time.

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