Agriculture ITO Commits to Dairy Industry Awards

Media release
16 September 2007

Agriculture ITO Commits to Dairy Industry Awards

The Agriculture Industry Training Organisation has signed a three-year contract confirming its partnership with New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Trust.

Agriculture ITO’s involvement will focus on organising the Dairy Trainee of the Year competition in the 12 regions in which the awards are staged, chief executive Kevin Bryant said.

“Agriculture ITO believes passionately in developing the skills and talents of New Zealand’s farming workforce. The Dairy Trainee of the Year competition is an opportunity for us to seek out and celebrate excellence among the upcoming generation of farmers.”

National convenor for the NZ Dairy Industry Awards Chris Keeping said the Agriculture ITO’s involvement will be invaluable, joining the awards family of national sponsors, which comprises Westpac, Dairy InSight, Fonterra, RD1, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, and Blue Wing Honda, along with industry partner Dexcel.

“Agriculture ITO is a natural partner for the Dairy Industry Awards,” Ms Keeping said. “The structure of the awards is designed to encourage progression through the dairy industry, from trainee, through farm manager and sharemilker status and eventually, if that is people’s ambition, to farm ownership.”

Regional winners of the Dairy Trainee of the Year competition will participate in a three day study tour of high performing dairy operations in New Zealand and attend the national awards evening.

There they will mingle with finalists in the Farm Manager of the Year and Sharemilker of the Year competitions.

“What we particularly like about this competition is that it gives relative newcomers to the industry a chance to mix with other successful dairy people – who like themselves are driven and committed to achieving their goals in New Zealand’s most successful export sector,” Mr Bryant said.

The winner of the New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year title will receive cash and products to the value of $5000 plus a trophy.

For more information about the Dairy Industry Awards: www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

ENDS

ITO Website: www.agricultureito.ac.nz

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