Three National Nominees have been selected for the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award category, which recognises and celebrates farmers and farm owners who are passionate about the four pillars of Responsible Dairying – people and community, finance, environment and animal welfare.
John & Karen McErlean - Poplar Partnership – Manawatū (pictured below)
Poplar Partnership is committed to its people, livestock, land stewardship, biodiversity and habitat creation. A dairying company owned by themselves and 9 employees has been created. There is attention to animal and soil health with focus on improving genetics and precision fertiliser application. Multiple wetlands have been created including significant investment in native trees and work to protect native giant snail colonies.
James & Debbie Stewart – Dairylands – Manawatū (pictured below)
James and Debbie Stewart are dairy farming on the boundary of Palmerston North. They have a long term sustainability strategy, using technology and innovation to action their decision making. Their values are based on family, people, animals and the environment and they have an open gate philosophy, showcasing their farming practices with visitors from NZ and around the world.
Steve & Tracy Henderson - Legendairies Ltd – Southland (pictured below)
Steve and Tracy from Legendairies are all about fostering the people. This aligns with their core vision, values and purpose. Encouraging people and creating a supportive community of people on farm and in their business has allowed all aspects of their farming enterprise to strengthen. The Legendairies brand champions the love of their farming journey, sharing the good on farm food production story to the wider world. Unique on farm team rostering and variable milkings allows time for Steve and Tracy to spend time off farm giving back to their community in various roles.
The Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award category recognises those doing great work in the responsible dairying space and showcases to the world what the New Zealand Dairy industry is achieving, while inspiring others to do the same.
This year, all confirmed nominees were invited to attend their regional awards dinner and were acknowledged at a regional level.
The three National Nominees were selected by an industry-wide panel and will attend the National Final Gala Dinner at Coronet Peak on Saturday 11th May where the most outstanding contribution will be honoured with the Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award.
They will join the 32 National Finalists representing 11 regions at the 2024 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards black tie awards dinner where the National winners will be announced after a final round of judging.
The winners will take home cash and prizes from a total prize pool worth around $200,000 and the honour of winning either the 2024 New Zealand Share Farmer of the Year, 2024 New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year or the 2024 New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year title.
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors CowManager, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian, Ravensdown, and Trelleborg, along with industry partners DairyNZ, MediaWorks and Rural Training Solutions NZ.
FONTERRA RESPONSIBLE DAIRYING AWARD NATIONAL NOMINEES
John & Karen McErlean - Poplar Partnership - Manawatū
James & Debbie Stewart – Dairylands - Manawatū
Steve & Tracy Henderson - Legendairies Ltd – Southland
2024 NEW ZEALAND SHARE FARMERS OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Northland
Kate & Jeremy Mounter, 50% sharemilkers, 330 cows, Kāeo
Waikato
Logan & Sian Dawson, equity partners & 50% share milkers, 1350 cows, Ōhaupō
Bay of Plenty
Sophia Clark & Aaron Mills, 50% sharemilkers, 540 cows, Te Puke
Central Plateau
Sarah & Paul Koopal, contract milkers, 540 cows, Rerewhakaaitu
Taranaki
Daniel Barnard & Jess Matthews, lower order sharemilkers, 1600 cows, Waverley
Manawatū
Will Hinton and Kali Rangiawha, contract milkers, 350 cows, Halcombe
Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa
Alvaro Luzardo and Ximena Puig, 50% sharemilkers, 480 cows, Eketahuna
West Coast/Top of the South
Michael and Cheryl Shearer, 50% sharemilkers, 500 cows, Reefton
Canterbury/North Otago
Alan da Veiga, contract milker, 1000 cows, Leeston
Southland/Otago
Cameron Smith and Nicole Hanning-Smith, contract milkers, 580 cows, Awarura
2024 NEW ZEALAND DAIRY MANAGER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Northland
Kieran McCahon, farm manager, 900 cows, Te Kōpuru
Auckland/Hauraki
Teagan Gray, farm manager, 478 cows, Thames
Waikato
Matthew Macdonald, farm manager, 255 cows, Hamilton
Bay of Plenty
George King, farm manager, 500 cows, Whakatāne
Central Plateau
Ben Purua, farm manager, 540 cows, Tirau
Taranaki
Sarah Avery, farm manager, 300 cows, Midhurst
Manawatū
Luke Ackerman, herd manager, 338 cows, Ashhurst
Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa
Rene ten Bolscher, farm manager, 500 cows, Carterton
West Coast/Top of the South
Trinity Jackson, farm manager, 800 cows, Moana
Canterbury/North Otago
Jaspreet Singh, farm manager, 1415 cows, Ashburton
Southland/Otago
Andrew Hazlett, farm manager, 570 cows, Thornbury
2024 NEW ZEALAND DAIRY TRAINEE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
Northland
Quinn Hewlett, farm assistant, 560 cows, Kaikohe
Auckland/Hauraki
Emma Williamson, 2IC, 450 cows, Paparimu
Waikato
Kirwyn Ellis, herd manager, 475 cows, Pirongia
Bay of Plenty
Luke Feisst, assistant manager, 350 cows, Te Puke
Central Plateau
Jessie Pope, farm assistant, 540 cows, Rerewhakaaitu
Taranaki
Eric Fa’anoi, 2IC, 330 cows, Hāwera
Manawatū
Isabella Panettiere, herd manager, 630 cows, Longburn
Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa
Kieran Scannell, farm assistant, 950 cows, Pahiatua
West Coast/Top of the South
Alexandra Davidson, farm assistant, 725 cows, St Arnaud
Canterbury/North Otago
Monique Radford, herd manager, 900 cows, Ashburton
Southland/Otago
Shannon Butler, farm assistant, 600 cows, Invercargill
