NZ Dairy Industry Awards announces joint pilot scheme

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are excited to announce a pilot initiative with PrimaryITO and DairyNZ in the Share Farmer of the Year programme this year.

The aim of the pilot is to gauge whether the programme could be a recognised pathway of learning for the New Zealand Diploma in Agribusiness Management.

“This is a very exciting initiative for the NZDIA as it will explore the pathway of learning outside the classroom,” says NZDIA Executive Chair Rachel Baker.

“There is a significant amount of learning, effort and development undertaken by our entrants in preparation for their judging in the Share Farmer programme.”

“For this to be acknowledged with the opportunity to be assessed for the Diploma would add additional value to entrants in our programme."

DairyNZ Strategy and Investment Leader for People and Business Mark Paine says the organisation has assessed the skills required in the industry over the next couple of decades and identified that farm management skills are the most critical for the future.

“This initiative with Dairy Industry Awards will recognise the new farm management skills acquired by our next generation of farming leaders,” says Mr Paine.

Primary ITO Chief Executive Dr Linda Sissons says, “Primary ITO is thrilled at the opportunity to help talented Share Farmers link their Award preparation to a recognised qualification and gain an in-depth understanding of the core elements and functions required to run a successful business.”

“As well as being designed to fit around work on-farm, the learnings from the Diploma can be applied immediately - whether it’s learning to talk budgets like a bank manager, how to set goals today and reach them tomorrow, or how to grow a team that will grow the business.”

In this first year of the pilot, the Share Farmer category will be assessed in the Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa, Waikato, Southland and Canterbury regions, with the opportunity becoming available to entrants in other regions if the pilot programme progresses.

There will be no difference to the judging process or the makeup of the judging team.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra Farm Source, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, and Ravensdown, along with industry partner Primary ITO.

The first regional winners will be announced in Hawkes Bay on March 1st, while the West Coast/Top of the South region is the last to name its winners on March 27. All regional winners will progress to a national final in Invercargill on May 12.

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