Sharemilkers Take Out Supreme Top of North Title

Media release: Top of the North Dairy Industry Awards

Strictly Embargoed to 11pm 7 March 2007

Sharemilkers Take Out Supreme Top of the North Title

Whangarei sharemilkers Brian and Paulette Johns were named 2007 Top of the North Sharemilker of the Year at the inaugural Dairy Industry Awards at a function in Waitangi tonight.

The couple are 50:50 sharemilkers, milking 334 cows on a 159 effective hectare property owned by Wynston Johns Properties Ltd. They are on target for production of 101,900kg/ms for year ended May 31, 2007.

The couple share the business with Brian in charge of the overall management of farm operations and day-to-day activities while Paulette is administration manager taking care of accounts, planning, human resources, health and safety, relief milking and calf rearing.

The couple are actively involved in the community taking part in school groups and sports as well as adding to their skills base by attending a variety of dairy-related courses and seminars

The couple’s goals include Brian completing his private pilot’s licence training while the couple continue to operate an efficient, profitable and sustainable dairying business.

Brian and Paulette will now go forward to represent the Top of the North in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Sharemilker of the Year national final to be held in Invercargill on May 12, competing for a national prize pool of nearly $75,000.

They will be joined by Dave and Donnella Ruatara, also from Whangarei who won the Top of the North Farm Manager of the Year title who will vie for the national Farm Manager of the Year title.

It is the first time the combined awards, representing progression through the dairy industry, have come under one umbrella. They have the support of sponsors Westpac, Dairy InSight, Fonterra, RD1 LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, Federated Farmers, Ecolab, Honda and ACC, along with industry partner Dexcel.

Runner up in the Top of the North Sharemilker of the Year was Matthew Smith from Wellsford. Third place went to Gus and Maree Redington from Maungaturoto.

Runner up in the Farm Manager of the Year was Shaun Judd from Dargaville.

The Sharemilker of the Year field day will be held on the Johns’ farm at 95 Hewlett Road, RD1, Whangarei on March 21 at 11am.

A field day will be held on the Ruataras’ farm at Pipiwai Road, RD6, Whangarei on March 28 at 11am..

Other results included

Farm Manager of the Year Merit Awards /
Northern Regional Council Farm Resource Management Award / Dave and Donnella Ruatara
Dairy InSight Human Resource Management Award / Shaun Judd
RD1 Farm Management Award / David Austin and Karen Hagley
Westpac Farm Financial Management Award / Peter Giesbers
Sharemilker of the Year Merit Awards /
Northern Regional Council Pride and Passion Award / Mark Benton and Lyn Klenner
ACC Workplace Safety Discounts Award / Brian and Paulette Johns
Blue Wing Honda ATV Safety Award / Gus and Maree Redington
Dairy InSight First Time Entrant Award / Brian and Paulette Johns
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award / Mark and Tania Jamieson
Federated Farmers Leadership Award / Gus and Maree Redington
LIC Records and Performance Award / Brian and Paulette Johns
Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award / Brian and Paulette Johns
Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award / Greig and Paula Powell
Westpac Business Performance Award / Matthew Smith

ENDS

For further information:
www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

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