Turihaua Station wins environmental awards

IMPROVING AND GROWING: Paul and Sarah Williams from Turihaua Station, the home of the Turihaua Angus cattle stud, won the Livestock Farm Award and the Farming For The Future in the Ballance East Coast Farm Environment Awards last night. Picture by Strike Photography

TURIHAUA Station’s Paul and Sarah Williams won two of the 12 categories in the East Coast regional Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) last night.
The awards were announced in simultaneous functions in Gisborne and Napier, livestreamed across both regions.
The Williams family won the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award, and the East Coast Farming for the Future Award.
“We are so delighted to have been awarded the Livestock Farming Award — this is a testament to Turihaua’s legacy,” Sarah and Paul Williams said this morning.
“Over generations we have allowed the environment to dictate our decision-making around our genetic profile and help build resilient animals that thrive in our environment. 
“Our cattle can only be healthy and robust when our land and water is too,” they said.
“We have fantastic staff at Turihaua in Ollie Jonasen and Duncan and Carolyn Quinlivan. 
“We are a great team that respect the livestock,” Sarah said.
“Hamish and Angela (Paul’s parents) continue to mentor and support us in so many ways.” 
The couple said they entered the awards as more of a celebration of the environmental work on Turihaua Angus since it was founded.
“A big thank you to Beef + Lamb for their sponsorship of this award and advocacy for our business and clients.”
Receiving the Farming For The Future award was a real honour, the couple said. 
“We are at the start of our farm ownership journey and all our decisions for the business and the land we are currently the guardians for keep in mind how we can improve and grow for future generations.
“We are passionate about the importance of our children’s connection to nature and the land and hope to share this more widely with the community into the future,” the couple said. 
“We have a great relationship with Gisborne District Council, and with Sarah being a former water conservator, we would like to thank them and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for sponsoring this award, along with the judges of the BFEA.”
BFEA general manager Sarah Harris said the format this year enabled greater connection across the region.
“Our awards events are all about celebrating some of the region’s amazing food and fibre producers, but they also provide a great opportunity to get together and connect with others in the industry.”
A commitment to continual improvement saw dairy farmers Greg and Gail Mitchell from Hawke’s Bay take out the regional Supreme Award.
Mitchell Dairy Farms also won the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award, Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award, DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award, Norwood Farming Efficiency Award and the Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award.
The other awards also went to entries from Hawke’s Bay — Stuart and Beatrice Spall and Jim and Christine Spall from Poporangi Farm won the Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award and NZFET Climate Recognition Award; Shane Janssen from Punawai Farm won the NZFET Biodiversity Award: and Tim and Lucie Gilbertson from Waitakai Farm the NZFET Innovation Award.
The awards also showcased Gisborne’s Waimatā Catchment Group, which was formed in 2020 with the goal of improving the health of the Waimatā River, its tributaries and the wider catchment.
The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are run by the NZ Farm Environment Trust and champion sustainable farming and growing.
Alex and Megen Campbell from Awapapa Station from Hangaroa were also finalists in the regional awards.