The 2023 Arable Awards take place on August 10 at the Christchurch Air Force Museum.
It will be a time for the sector to celebrate and catch up, Birkett said.
“[It’s] about coming together to network, tell success stories and spotlight the business and investment opportunities in a sector that generates $800 million in sales a year, $245m of that in exports.”
There were also an “abundance of young leaders” and innovators rising through the industry, evidenced by this year’s nominations, he said.
“We had more nominations for the Emerging Talent and Innovation Awards than in the past by quite a margin.”
The Food Champion Award is always popular, with growers and enterprises finding new ways to use seeds, cereals and other arable crops to drive profitability.
Food Champion Award finalists this year are:
- Ethan Flack and Phil Jackson - They buy product directly from local growers and showcase them on the menu for their exclusive in-home dinners.
- Phil Jackson of Farmers Mill - The nation’s only independent, grower-owned and operated flour producer.
- Southland’s Auld Farm Distillery - It processes nine grains into a range of spirits, including whisky and gin.
- Nick and Kath Walters of Pure NZ Buckwheat Ltd - A fast-growing enterprise that has invested in processing equipment which makes it easier for others to diversify into this crop.
Judges will have a tough time deciding between the Arable Farmer of the Year finalists; Craig and Anna Whiteside of Gore, David Clark of Ashburton, and Hugh Ritchie of Otane, all of whom have demonstrated excellence and an attitude of giving back to the arable industry.
It won’t be easy to pick the Innovation Award winner either.
The finalists are:
- Roscoe Taggart of Oxford - A Next Generation Farming project participant and precision farming enthusiast.
- Jody and Blair Drysdale of Hopefield Hemp - They grow, harvest, dry, press and process hemp into a range of oils and balms on their Southland farm.
- Andrew and Amy Darling of Timaru - Committed adopters of a range of sensors, testers and techniques to boost profitability and sustainability.
- John Austin of Te Awamutu - A contractor and maize grower, and another precision agriculturalist who was quite likely the first in New Zealand to employ yield mapping.
Birkett said well over 500 tickets to the event had already been snapped up.
“It’s going to be a fantastic and fun night honouring arable’s best and brightest.”
The 2023 Arable Awards finalists
Agronomist Award
Paul Johnston (Yara Fertilizers NZ).
Geoff Mavor (Catalyst Performance Agronomy).
Nick Hishon (PGG Wrightson Seeds).
Small Seed Award
Richard and Fiona Maw of Huntersfield Farm.
Andy and Jo Innes of Innes Fields Ltd.
Michael and Lou Gardyne of M Gardyne Ltd.
Ross and Nigel Rathgen of Glen River Seeds.
Innovation Award
Andrew Darling of Adar Farming Ltd.
John Austin of John Austin Ltd.
Roscoe Taggart of Taggart Farms.
Jody and Blair Drysdale of Hopefield Hemp.
Emerging Talent Award
Mark Framptom of Luisetti Seeds.
Andrew Darling of Adar Farming Ltd.
James Abbiss of Silverton Pastoral.
Food Champion
Rob and Toni Auld of Auld Farm Distillery.
Ethan Flack.
Phil Jackson of Farmers Mill NZ Flour.
Nick and Kath Walters of Pure New Zealand Buckwheat Ltd.
Maize Grower
David and Adrienne Wordsworth of D&A Wordsworth Contracting.
Mark Shera of Parkfields Farm Ltd.
Grain Grower
Sam and Hannah Grant of Grant Trading.
Craig Muckle of Millisle Farm.
Roger and Jude Henderson of Limewood Farm.
Environment and Sustainability
Nigel Greenwood of Willowbrook Farm.
Andrew and Amy Darling or Adar Farming.
Angus McKenzie of Wairuna Farm Ltd.
Arable Farmer of the Year
Craig and Anna Whiteside of T A Whiteside & Co.
David Clark of Valetta Farms.
Hugh Ritchie of Drumpeel Farms.
Researcher of the Year
Dr Richard Chynoweth of FAR.
Anna Gillum of PGG Wrightson Seeds.
Plant Breeder/Researcher
Stewart Armstrong and Stuart Gowers of Plant and Food Research.
Barenburg NZ Plant Breeding Team.
Employer of the Year
Bruce Garrett of RAGT NZ.
Ferg MacDonald of Green to Gold Ltd.
Graeme Jones of PGG Wrightson Seeds.
