Mid-Canterbury farmers take top environmental award

23 June 2013

Mid-Canterbury farmers take top environmental award

Mid-Canterbury can lay claim to having some of the smartest farmers in New Zealand, with Craige and Roz Mackenzie winning the Gordon Stephenson trophy; the supreme award at the 2013 New Zealand Farm Environment Awards held in Hamilton.

“Craige and Roz Mackenzie, like all Ballance Farm Environment Award finalists, are smart, smart farmers,” says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers President.

“Recognition of the Mackenzie’s arable operation is a major win for precision agriculture. Craige himself will be a guest speaker on that very topic at Federated Farmers 2013 National Conference in Ashburton, being held over 3-5 July.

“What they show is that intensive farming and the environment are not mutually exclusive. In fact, commercial scale farming and the environment can go hand in glove.

“We really cannot say it better than how New Zealand Farm Environment Trust chair, Alistair Polson, described Craige and Roz; “They have demonstrated excellent commitment to their own farming operation and to New Zealand farming in general. And their exceptional communication skills will be a great asset when it comes to promoting the New Zealand story in the international marketplace”.

“Having heard Gordon Stephenson speak for the first time about his vision for sustainable farming, he delivered what I consider to be an outstanding and moving speech. Gordon focused on how the world can reconcile population growth and biodiversity.

“It was so moving one couple were brought to tears. This is the passion and commitment farmers have for the environment and a passion that has seen Craige and Roz Mackenzie emerge first among equals,” Mr Wills concluded.

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