This year, two new awards were introduced - the Fonterra and ASB First Farm Award and the ASB Alumni of the Year Award - to celebrate and reward those continuing to contribute to the dairy industry.
Braden and Brigitte Barnes (Canterbury/North Otago), Cameron and Margaret Bierre (Waikato) and Reece and Natasha Cox (Central Plateau) each received the Fonterra First Farm Award, with Steve and Amy Gillies from Waikato winning the ASB Alumni of the Year award.
Share farmer category head judge Steve Canton, from DairyNZ, said the Langfords impressed the judges with their overall excellence.
“Tom and Fiona are very focused on the detail,” he said.
“They both come from corporate lives, and they have brought that experience into a lot of their systems and processes.”
Fiona holds a master’s in dietetics and Tom a Bachelor of Food Science (Hons).
They both began work in the Fonterra Technical Graduate Programme, with Fiona moving to Melbourne to work in the nutritionals team and Tom working with the Fonterra nutrient management team.
Both have a master’s in Dairy Science and Technology, which they completed during their time in the Fonterra programme.
Fiona, 34, has completed the Fonterra Governance Development course, trained as a DIY AB technician, and she and Tom, 33, have completed lameness training.
The first-time entrants are equity partners and contract milkers for Marian and Jos van Loon, on their 262ha, 1090-cow farm.
The judges noted that Fiona and Tom constantly looked to learn and had a very strong awareness of the financial aspects of their business.
Fellow judge Robert Ervine from Rangiotu said that, before meeting Fiona, Tom had never been on a farm.
“They came back to a family farm and their community and have really got involved.”
The Langfords have several roles in the community, including Putaruru Athletics Club, Puketurua Hall Committee, Putaruru Rangers FC, South Waikato Environment Initiative, their local playcentre and Te Waotu SSG.
Judge Duncan Bayes said the Langfords had good initiatives to drive positive staff culture, including supplying healthy and nutritious breakfast food and fruit, alongside an air fryer and microwave.
“They will step in quickly if a staff member is beginning to feel burnt out and are focused on culture and flexibility and creating a healthy work environment.”
The couple also won six merit awards: the DairyNZ People & Culture Award, the Federated Farmers Leadership Award, the Honda Farm Safety Award, the Health & Biosecurity Award, the Ecolab Environmental Sustainability Award, the Trelleborg Sustainable Pasture Award, and the ASB Business Performance Award.
They also won the CowManager Experience Award, which is two years of free cow monitoring with a CowManager system.
The panel were impressed by their current use of data, demonstrating a deep understanding and strong utilisation of technology on the farm.
Judges said they showed real passion and a complementary team dynamic, working together seamlessly.
The missing piece identified was effective monitoring, which will now complete their data utilisation and optimise their farm’s performance.
The panel noted that the Langfords were not only analysing data, but also continuously seeking improvements, with a high focus on sustainability factors.
Dairy Industry Awards 2025: Winners and placegetters
2025 Sharemilker of the Year
Winner: Thomas and Fiona Langford – Waikato
Runner up: Richard and Nikita Grabham – Canterbury/North Otago
Third: Warric and Rachel Johnson – West Coast/Top of the South
2025 Dairy Manager of the Year
Winner: Martin Keegan – Taranaki
Runner up: Thomas Lundman – Bay of Plenty
Third: George Dodson – Canterbury/North Otago
2025 Dairy Trainee of the Year
Winner: Pieter Van Beek – Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa
Runner up: Emma Blom – Southland/Otago
Third: Alex Diprose – Waikato
2025 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award recipients
Waka Dairies – Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa (represented by Michael and Russell Phillips).
2025 ASB Alumni of the Year Award
Winner: Steve and Amy Gillies – Waikato
2025 Fonterra and ASB First Farm Awards
(Three equal winners)
Braden and Brigitte Barnes – Canterbury/North Otago
Cameron and Margaret Bierre – Waikato
Reece and Natasha Cox – Central Plateau
2025 Share Farmer of the Year Merit Awards
DairyNZ People and Culture Award - Thomas and Fiona Langford
Ecolab Total Farm Hygiene and Innovation Award - Warric and Rachel Johnson
Federated Farmers Leadership Award - Thomas and Fiona Langford
Honda Farm Safety, Health and Biosecurity Award - Thomas and Fiona Langford
LIC Animal Wellbeing, Recording and Productivity Award - Richard and Nikita Grabham
Ecolab Environmental Sustainability Award - Thomas and Fiona Langford
Trelleborg Sustainable Pasture Award - Thomas and Fiona Langford
ASB Business Performance Award - Thomas and Fiona Langford
Ballance Excellence Interview and Communication Award - Warric and Rachel Johnson
CowManager Experience Award - Thomas and Fiona Langford
2025 Dairy Manager of the Year Merit Awards
DairyNZ People and Leadership Award - Martin Keegan
CowManager Livestock Management Award - Martin Keegan
Fonterra Dairy Management Award - Thomas Lundman
LIC Interview Award - George Dodson
Craigmore Environmental Sustainability Award - Thomas Lundman
DeLaval Sustainable Pasture Award - Thomas Lundman
Personal Planning & Financial Management Award - Martin Keegan
2025 Dairy Trainee of the Year Merit Awards
Ecolab Personal Growth and Development Award - Pieter Van Beek
DairyNZ Practical Skills Award - Alex Diprose
Best Video Award - Caleb Smith
Federated Farmers General Farming Knowledge Award - Ros McCann
Communication and Industry Involvement Award - Pieter Van Beek
