Strong entries seen as sign of confidence

ENTRIES in the Taranaki dairy industry awards are very strong and contestants started facing the judges yesterday.

There are 21 contenders (counting couples) for sharemilker of the year, nine for farm manager of the year and 16 for dairy trainee.

Sharemilkers and farm managers are experiencing their first-round judging on- farm this week; each has two hours to present their business to the judges – a senior Westpac agribusiness manager, a DairyNZ consulting officer and a prominent farmer.

Judging of the selected finalists will happen on February 17-19; dairy trainees will be judged in February.

The awards dinner will be held at the Stratford War Memorial Centre on February 26. There are three placings for sharemilker and 10 merit awards; a winner and runner- up for farm manager and four merit awards. Field days will be held at the winners' farms on March 19 (sharemilkers) and 26 (managers).

Contestants will be judged on financial planning (40 points), making the most of the property (25), pasture (25), livestock (25), human resources (20), farm environment (19), safety and health (10), dairy hygiene (8), future aims and attitudes (10), family and community (8), communication (20).

The competition is run nationally in 12 regions and there is a 27 per cent increase in entries this year, five per cent more for the sharemilker section, 17 per cent more for farm manager and 53 per cent more for farm trainee.

"That's an incredibly positive sign of confidence," says Lachlan McKenzie, Federated Farmers dairy chairman. "Dairying has a strong and bright future so this surge in entries proves the deep pool of talent we have."

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