Rewarding and publicising excellence in farming allows high standards to be set by a few top operators and challenges the industry to catch up.
All four finalists in this years SI Farmer of the Year have pushed the boundaries in their field and deserve recognition and praise for their efforts.
Marlborough farmer Doug Avery is now a well known name in dryland Marlborough farming who has successfully deveolped a grazing system that has revived profits in this tough drought prone environment.
The contrast between how farmers coped traditionally and how the Averys and those now using his systems is huge, and they deserve all the accolades in winning this title.
Doug, Wendy, Fraser and Shelley Avery from Bonavaree near Lake Grassmere won the 2010 South Island Farmer of the Year at the finals held at Lincoln University . Lincoln University Foundation chairman Neil Taylor commended the Avery family and said they stood out from the other finalists because they have drought proofed their property by transforming their farming system.“By integrating animal and plant relationships they have attained very high performance on what is pretty difficult country,” says Mr Taylor. “Where others have partly introduced Lucerne to their properties they Avery’s have done it across the whole farming system and integrated it with other plants to ensure best results.”
The winners of the award categories are as follows reports Scoop
South Island Farmer of the Year 2010 – $15,000 education/travel award: Doug, Wendy, Fraser, Shelley Avery – transformed their drought prone sheep and beef farm near Seddon and improved profitability.
Second – $7,500 education/travel award: Craige and Roz Mackenzie – cropping and dairy farmers from Methven who have patented their own technology and started an Agri-advisory business.
The TracMap n-farm Implementation of innovation Award – TM465 GPS: John Evans – cropping, sheep and beef farmer from Mid Canterbury who uses technology to make farming easier and is involved in multiple research trials.
The AGMARDT Enterprising Innovation Award – $5,000: Craige and Roz Mackenzie – cropping and dairy farmers from Methven who patented their own technology and started an Agri-advisory business.
The remaining finalist Richard Daly from Darfield was unplaced however highly commended for innovative farm management structure.
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