Waikato farmers and growers are encouraged to get their entries in now for the region’s 2021 Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) – no matter where they are on their journey.

The New Zealand Farm Environment Trust is working with the Waikato BFEA committee to operate a regional awards programme in 2020/21. This committee has secured independent funding which enables it to run a Waikato BFEA programme while the remainder of our regional programmes are on hold as a result of COVID-19 disruptions.

Waikato farmers and growers are invited to showcase, benchmark, and improve their operations through the constructive BFEA process where agribusiness professionals provide feedback, recommendations and commendations.

The judges take an holistic approach to the feedback and award allocation process, making it a great opportunity to have your farming or growing business independently evaluated, says regional committee chair Matt Holwill.

“The BFEA process is an incredibly valuable way to benchmark yourself against others in the region and we encourage everyone in the industry to give it a go.

“In 2020, we had a great crop of entrants – all at different stages along their farming and growing journey, and with different reasons for entering. The overwhelming feedback we get from entrants is that they get a huge amount of benefit out of the process.”

Entries close on 30 October and can be done simply via the Trust’s website www.nzfeatrust.org.nz

The 2021 Waikato programme includes the launch of a new award that celebrates the achievements of Waikato catchment groups.

“The purpose of the new Catchment Group Award is to celebrate the achievements of catchment groups within the Waikato,” says Matt.

“Profiling the catchment award recipient is a great way to showcase what can be achieved when local communities work together and take ownership of localised catchment issues.”

• Find out more about the awards and enter at: www.nzfeatrust.org.nz/enter-awards

About the Ballance Farm Environment Awards

Run by the NZ Farm Environment Trust, the Ballance Farm Environment Awards recognise and celebrate good farm practices that promote sustainable land management. Click here for more information.

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