2011 NZ Dairy Industry Awards Winners

The winners of the 2011 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards have great people around them, operate excellent farm systems and run profitable, sustainable businesses.

Jason and Lisa Suisted were announced the New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Jason Halford was crowned New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and Ben Smith won the New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year title at a gala dinner in Queenstown last night.

Six hundred people attended the awards and more than $130,000 in cash and prizes was given to the winners, through the support of national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner Agriculture ITO.

Sharemilker/Equity Farmer judge Jo Bishell says the Suisteds were the “complete package”. “We got a really clear and concise picture of their total business.

“They also had balance between their business, community involvement and their family life. And they said it was by no accident that they had the good team of professionals around them that they had. They went the extra mile in every piece of their business.”

The Suisteds, who 50% sharemilk 430 cows at Gordonton, near Hamilton, won about $40,000 in prizes. The win also topped a huge week for them as they had their third child.

Mrs Bishell says the Suisteds financial performance, pasture management, and health and safety practices stood out.

“They had a health and safety audit to ensure they were well covered and that the information they had was easily accessible to the right people. They didn’t have screeds of paper. They had a simple one-page that contractors and relief milkers would actually read.”

Mrs Bishell says the overall standard of finalists was high. “There was a noticeable improvement in environmental performance. People are more aware of public perception and compliance requirements. They have put plans in place to make sure they comply with best practice by having maintenance records, irrigator application records and fertiliser records. Everything they are doing they are documenting better.”

She says the contest change to enable equity farm managers to enter had been successful, with one equity farmer finalist. “It brought another element to the competition and many of the finalists were looking at an equity partnership in the future.”

The 2011 New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year Jason Halford has huge passion and enthusiasm for how he manages pasture, soil and the environment, judge Tafi Manjala says.

“He has systems, policies and procedures for nearly everything on the farm and they are backed up by a paper trail.

“Jason involved his staff in the judging presentation and they were able to articulate the goals and objectives of the areas they were responsible for very well and they were as passionate about achieving those goals as Jason was. He would be a good person to work for.”

Mr Halford, who won $18,000 in prizes, is currently managing a 154ha property milking 440 cows on the outskirts of Palmerston North. He is moving to a 50% sharemilking position next month.

“All the finalists were focused on goal setting. They knew where they were now and the potential of where they could get to and the stuff inbetween.”

Mr Manjala says eight of the farm manager finalists were moving to a new position – or stepping up – in the new season, beginning next month.

He says the efforts to train and up-skill staff were also evident among the national finalists. “These people are all employers of choice. They clearly understand how to manage people, relate to people and help people progress. They are not only thinking about themselves, but they thinking about the people around them and how they can take them on the journey as well.”

The 2011 New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year Ben Smith has huge passion and energy for the dairy industry, says judge Kerry Lucas-Candy.

“He was a real stand-out and has a good handle on where he is going. He is going to be someone that a lot of people coming into the industry will look up to.”

Mr Smith is married to Chloe and a farm assistant for 2010 New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year Carwyn and Michelle Monteith. It is his second season in the industry and he spent his first year working for the runners-up in this year’s New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year competition, Richard and Joanna Greaves.

“He has surrounded himself with extremely good people and he has got mentors that are working for him,” Mrs Lucas-Candy says.

His focus is on equity growth. “Ben wants to increase his equity all the way through to farm ownership. He is strategically investing in stock, that’s his big thing right now.”

Mr Smith won $8700 in cash and prizes.

More information on the winners, place-getters and awards can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

Full Results:
NZ Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year:
1st – Jason & Lisa Suisted, Waikato, won $40,000 in prizes
2nd – Richard & Joanna Greaves, Hawkes Bay Wairarapa, $20,600
3rd – Rob & Debbie Mackle, Canterbury North Otago, $15,400
Merit Awards
DairyNZ Human Resources Award – Richard & Joanna Greaves
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Rob & Debbie Mackle
Federated Farmers of New Zealand Leadership Award – Richard & Joanna Greaves
Honda Farm Safety and Health Award – Jason & Lisa Suisted
LIC Recording and Productivity Award – Nick & Bec Simmonds, Central Plateau
Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Rob & Debbie Mackle
Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Jason & Lisa Suisted
Westpac Business Performance Award – Jason & Lisa Suisted
DairyNZ Interview Award – Kate & Aaron Murdoch, Taranaki.

NZ Farm Manager of the Year:
1st – Jason Halford, Manawatu Rangitikei Horowhenua, won $18,000 in prizes
2nd – Charlie & Johanna McCaig, Taranaki, $8300
3rd – Michael & Susan Woodward, Canterbury North Otago, $6600
Merit Awards
DairyNZ Human Resource Award – Scott Levings, Otago
RD1 Farm Management Award – Jason Halford
Westpac Financial Planning and Management Award – Michael & Susan Woodward
Fonterra Interview Award – Jason Halford

NZ Dairy Trainee of the Year:
1st – Ben Smith, Hawkes Bay Wairarapa, won $8700 in cash and prizes
2nd – Jemma Lourie, Central Plateau, $5400
3rd – Samuel Humphreys, Taranaki, $3600