Taranaki winners set the benchmark

The 2008 Taranaki Sharemilkers of the Year Grant and Tessa Honeyfield have lots to celebrate – not only did they pocket $16,900 in cash and prizes from their win, but their first baby is due any day.



The young couple are 50% sharemilking for Grant’s parents, Tim and Lorraine Honeyfield, on an 82ha farm milking 235 cows at Patea. They are targeting production of 78,000kg milksolids this season, ending May 31.



“We entered the awards this year for the first time as we had a fantastic first season and wanted to benchmark ourselves against other farmers and learn more about our business and how we can improve it for the future.”



The Honeyfield’s both graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Applied Science, with Tessa (aged 23) then working on a 600-cow farm in the Waikato while Grant (24) spent a year working for RD1 at Paeroa. They then took on their current sharemilking position and are in their second season.



They say they stick to the basics and aim to do them well. “Our attention to detail is a major strength of our business, as we have minimal stock losses and few animal health problems. This enables us to maximise production with minimal expenses – our somatic cell count is evidence of this attention to detail with our average for last season being 87,899.”



The Honeyfield’s long term plan is to buy their own farm, by taking on larger sharemilking positions and looking at other opportunities. They also want to build a high Breeding Worth herd and farm in an environmentally sustainable and economic way.



Rahotu 25% sharemilkers Carl and Sharon Coley placed second in the Taranaki Sharemilker of the Year, winning $11,360 in cash and prizes. Opunake sharemilkers Andy and Debi Whitehead placed third, winning $8060 in cash and prizes.



The Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Fonterra, RD1, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, and Blue Wing Honda, along with industry partner Agriculture ITO.



The 2008 Taranaki Farm Manager of the Year winner, Kieran Bourke, and 2008 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year, Simon Adams, were also announced at the awards dinner held at the Stratford War Memorial Centre last night.



All three winners will now compete for the New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year titles and a prize pool of more than $100,000 in Christchurch on May 24.



Mr Bourke, aged 22, manages a 150ha Pihama farm milking 630 cows for Rob and Clare Poole.



“I entered the awards for the first time to challenge myself against the industry’s best and to improve my public speaking ability.”



Mr Bourke, who won $5290 in cash and prizes, aims to grow and turn grass into milk efficiently and is proud to run an intensive 630-cow farm with 2.5 labour units.



He aims to own a farm by the time he is aged 35.



Dairy Trainee of the Year Simon Adams is a farm manager on a 130ha family farm milking 310 cows at Opunake. In June he will begin a three-year lower order sharemilking contract on the farm to build equity and assets to go 50% sharemilking.



Mr Adams says his Certificate in Agriculture from the Agriculture ITO has given him skills to manage pasture, soils and animal health, and the confidence to run an efficient business.



He won a $3000 prize package.



Taranaki Sharemilkers of the Year Grant and Tessa Honeyfield will host a field day on Friday April 18, while Taranaki Farm Manager of the Year Kieran Bourke will host a field day on the Manaia farm he manages on Thursday April 24. Further details on the winners and field days can be found on www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.



Sharemilker Merit Awards:

Lower Order Sharemilker of the Year - Carl & Sharon Coley
Allied Farmers Livestock Best Endeavour Award - Craig Bedford & Melissa Erb
Taranaki Regional Council Sustainable Farming Award - Andy & Debi Whitehead
Blue Wing Honda ATV Safety Award - Craig Bedford & Melissa Erb
Dairy NZ First Time Entrant Award - Miah & Jenny Smith
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award - Carl & Sharon Coley
Federated Farmers Leadership Award - Andy & Debi Whitehead
LIC Recording and Productivity Award - Grant & Tessa Honeyfield
Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award - Andy & Debi Whitehead
Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award - Carl & Sharon Coley
Westpac Business Performance Award - Grant & Tessa Honeyfield


Farm Manager Merit Awards:

RD1 Best Endeavour Award - Aaron Waite