Judges Help Passionate Entrants Progress

12 February 2008

Judges Help Passionate Entrants Progress

Teams of judges are currently scrutinising entrants in the regional Dairy Industry Awards, ensuring talented dairy farm trainees, farm managers and sharemilkers from throughout the country make positive steps in the industry.

New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Chairman Greg Maughan says it is well known that people enter the awards to boost their CV and improve their confidence when dealing with bankers, accountants and other rural professionals. Entrants also relish the opportunity to meet people and learn new skills or techniques from the judges and fellow competitors.

“The dairy industry has always been known as the farming sector that provides a well trodden career pathway for young dairy farmers to progress through the industry to ultimately achieve their goals.

“At the Dairy Industry Awards we developed our byline ‘Passion for Progression’, as it very accurately reflects that those who enter in the awards have the passion that will ensure their progression in dairying,” Mr Maughan says.

“Certainly, future employers will respond positively to the fact these people have put themselves forward and have been prepared to have their dairying skills, ideas and management tested.”

More than 300 farm trainees, farm managers and sharemilkers have entered this year’s awards, being run in 12 regions. For the first time, each of the three regional award winners – the regional Trainee of the Year, Manager of the Year and Sharemilker of the Year – will go on to compete for national honours and a national prize pool in excess of $100,000.

The Manawatu/Rangitikei/Horowhenua region is the first to announce its winners at an awards evening on February 29, while Southland is the last of the 12 regions to announce its winners on April 5.

The national award winners will be announced at a gala evening in Christchurch on May 24.

The Dairy Industry Awards are supported by Westpac, Dairy NZ, Fonterra, RD1, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, and Blue Wing Honda, along with industry partner Agriculture ITO.

Awards information, including the winners, will be posted on the awards’ website, www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

ENDS

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