Almost perfect score for dairy couple

An "almost perfect" farming situation scooped the top farm environment award in the Bay of Plenty for two dairy farmers.

Paul and Joanna McCarthy, who own a 131ha dairy unit in Galatea, near Murupara, won the supreme award for the 2009 Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

They also picked up three category awards at the ceremony on Wednesday - the PGG Wrightson Land and Life Award, the LIC Dairy Farm Award and the Fish and Game New Zealand Eastern Region Water Management/Conservation Award.

Judges described the McCarthy's operation as "almost the perfect situation one could wish for when farming".

The McCarthys have developed and extended their property across the last 23 years and judges said "their well presented farm has a good infrastructure and is farmed in a very environmentally conscientious manner".

Mr McCarthy studies the cultivation of trees and woody plants, which they said was evident in the home garden and out in the paddocks and water areas.

In 1987 a series of ponds were built to attract and accommodate waterfowl and both Dabchick and Scaup now breed here every year.

The McCarthys purchased the original farm in 1985 and recently bought another 31ha across the road.

The addition of this new block, which has irrigation consent, has enabled them to increase stock numbers by 100.

Although Galatea was hit hard by the drought last year, the irrigation consent on the new land should help the McCarthys maintain production through prolonged dry spells into the future.

In 2006/07 the farm milked 195 cows and achieved 384kg of milksolids per cow. This dropped back to 323kg during the drought season of 2007/08, but the aim now is to reach a target of 500kg.

Judges noted how the soils on the home farm have improved significantly in the last 23 years, with a substantial lift in organic matter.

A public field day will be held on the McCarthy farm in late March or early April.

Ballance Farm Environment Award Bay of Plenty category winners 2009:

* Supreme Award: Paul and Joanna McCarthy, Galatea

* LIC Dairy Farm Award: Paul and Joanna McCarthy, Galatea

* Silver Fern Farms Livestock Farm Award: Bruce and Tessa Calder, Pikowai Farms, Whakatane

* Hill Laboratories Harvest Award: Keith and Wendy Holdom, Cromhall, Te Puna

* Ballance Nutrient Management Award: Bruce and Tessa Calder, Whakatane

* PGG Wrightson Land and Life Award: Paul and Joanna McCarthy, Galatea

* Gallagher Innovation Award: Bruce and Tessa Calder, Whakatane,

* ZESPRI Kiwifruit Orchard Award: Keith and Wendy Holdom, Cromhall, Te Puna

* Environment Bay of Plenty Environmental Award: Godfrey and Margaret Mackersey, Makereti Farm, Tauranga

* Environment Bay of Plenty Environmental Award: Neil Heather, Awarua Farm, Rotorua

* New Zealand Farm Environment Award Trust Habitat Improvement Award: Paul and Louise Burt and John and Linda Burt, The Run, Whakatane

* Fish and Game New Zealand, Eastern Region Water Management/Conservation Award: Paul and Joanna McCarthy, Galatea

* RE/MAX BOP Lifestyle Award: Anne Van Leeuwen, Aongatete, Katikati

* Trimax Mowing Systems Lifestyle Award: Ruth Gerzon and John Mayrick, Ohope