“So, it’s great to see a strong crop of high-calibre award entries this year.”
Birkett said the Positive Environmental Impact Award and Innovation Award were particularly significant.
“I’m excited about the finalists for those categories because they’re all people helping us to create a stronger and more sustainable arable sector.”
One Positive Environmental Impact Award finalist is Ashburton farmer Angus McKenzie, who the judges described as “an articulate advocate” for showing environmental action on a farm doesn’t have to be a financial drain.
McKenzie is up against Feilding’s Tim Gorton and Waikato’s Daniel Finlayson.
The judging panel said Finlayson regarded environmental stewardship as a farming foundation principle rather than a “nice to have”.
Judges made note of Finlayson’s genuine iwi engagement and continuous efforts to find solutions that work; such as developing an anaerobic system for chicken manure to reduce volatisation.
Meanwhile, Gorton impressed judges with his “curiosity and passion”, and an ambitious annual tree-planting programme for sediment control and biodiversity.
The Innovation Award finalists are Brent Austin, Anna Gillum and Dr Soonie Chng.
Austin farms near Ashburton and is involved with three Foundation for Arable Research Grower Leading Change groups. He often hosts on-farm demonstrations.
He’s been a leader in experimenting with nitrogen-fixing faba beans to see how much nitrogen these provide following cereal crops.
Gillum has spearheaded PGG Wrightson Seeds’ cereal fungicide research for eight years.
Judges said she was “passionate about learning and adapting technologies from New Zealand and overseas and introducing them to agronomy packages for farmers”.
Chng is also dedicated to understanding arable crop diseases and finding solutions for growers, such as the sustainable management of ramularia leaf spots in barley crops.
The Seed, Maize and Wheat Grower of the Year categories have three finalists each.
The winner of one of those titles will also be named Arable Farmer of the Year.
Agronomist of the Year finalists are 30-year arable veteran David Weith; Sam Sturgess, founder of a North Otago arable focus group; and Nicola Pace, who among other achievements involves herself with the Mt Hutt College agricultural programme, mentoring young people keen to get into the sector.
Foundation for Arable Research general manager business operations Ivan Lawrie convened the judging panels.
He said a core ethos of the foundation was co-operation and striving together for excellence, and this was demonstrated by the three Working Together Award finalists.
Finalists in that category include Oilseed Monitor Farms, a Foundation for Arable Research and Pure Oil NZ collaboration that has achieved impressive yields of oilseed rape while reducing nitrogen applications.
The other two finalists are the Liquid Injection Arable Growth Group, which has shared knowledge gained on biological products and non-standard seed treatments; and a South Canterbury group that’s helped growers develop strategies to control herbicide-resistant grass weeds on their farms.
Lawrie noted the “elevated awareness of environmental impacts” shown by finalists across all award categories.
“Managing that impact has been paramount to everyone, and that’s really encouraging.
While there could be only one winner in each category, Lawrie urged those who missed out to enter again next time.
“In all categories, the finalists were very, very close.
“It was hard for the judges to come to a decision; all of them are people we would happily have named as a worthy winner.”
The awards evening is on August 15 at the Air Force Museum of NZ, Wigram, Christchurch, and ticket sales close on Monday, August 5.
Birkett said sales were going well so far.
“It’s amazing how people are coming out to support this event even in a tough time, which highlights that arable is such a resilient sector.”
The 2024 Arable Awards finalists
Arable Farmer of the Year
The Seed, Maize and Wheat Grower of the Year categories have three finalists each.
The winner of one of those titles will be named Arable Farmer of the Year.
Grower of the Year – Cereal
Morgan and Karen Horrell, MKH Farming, Gore
Peter Hewson, Esk Valley Farming, Canterbury
Brad Lindsay, Arhee Farming, Southland
Grower of the Year – Maize
Mark Shera, Parkfields Farm, Ashburton
Alan Henderson, Cranleigh Agri-business Trust, Te Awamutu
Simon Nitschke, Arable Solutions, Marton
Grower of the Year – Seed
John McCaw, McCaw Farming Ltd, Methven
Tim and James Robinson, Robinson Farming Partnership, Methven
Scott Rome, Waifield Farm Ltd, Gore
Agronomist of the Year
Sam Sturgess, Catalyst Performance Agronomy, Ōamaru
David Weith, Bayer, Timaru
Nicola Pace, RAGT New Zealand, Christchurch
Positive Environmental Impact Award
Tim Gorton, Gorton Farming Ltd, Feilding
Angus McKenzie, Wairuna Farm Ltd, Ashburton
Daniel Finlayson, Methleigh Farms Ltd, Waikato
Innovation Award
Brent Austin, Austin Farming Ltd, Ashburton
Anna Gillum, PGG Wrightson Seeds, Lincoln
Soonie Chng, NZ Institute for Plant and Food Research, Lincoln
Working Together Award
Grass Weed Control Arable Growers Group, South Canterbury
Liquid Injection Arable Growth Group, Ashburton
Oil Seed Rape Monitor Farms (FAR and Pure Oil NZ), South Canterbury
