Seeking top contenders for awards

Championing excellence through the Primary Sector Awards are Tony Rasmussen (left) from Bayleys, Hawke's Bay A & P Society president Richard Chambers, Pan Pac general manager Doug Ducker, Silver Fern Farms' regional manager Malcolm Gourlie, Hastings District councillor Tania Kerr, awards committee chairman Peter Tod and Napier Port CEO Garth Cowie. Absent is Matthew Lawson from Lawson Robinson. Photo / Duncan Brown

On the cusp of entries closing for the annual Napier Port Primary Sector Awards, sponsors and supporters gathered last week at the naming sponsor's new administration building.

The awards have six competitions, three requiring entry related and three nomination.

Brent Linn, general manager of Hawke's Bay A&P Society which organises the awards, said with entries closing on February 28 "everyone should be looking into their network to see who are appropriate award contestants".

Three of the awards are direct entry and three peer nominated.

"I encourage you to tap people on the shoulder to suggest they enter," he said. "To help them do that we have a committee, many of whom are past recipients of some of the awards, available as a resource."

He said the committee would remove any "trepidation" at entering.

The awards are:

The Silver Fern Farms Hawke's Bay Farmer of the Year, to identify operators either managers or owners who maximise potential of the property they farm in an efficient and sustainable manner.

The Pan Pac HB Farm Forester of the Year, celebrating excellence in forestry and tree planting integrated into land management.

The Hastings District Council Hawke's Bay Primary Industry Leader, recognising outstanding leadership within the primary sector.

The Bayleys Hawke's Bay Primary Sector Professional of the Year, for an individual providing outstanding professional services to the primary sector.

The Laurie Dowling Memorial Award, recognising an outstanding contribution to agriculture in Hawke's Bay giving time voluntarily for the betterment of agriculture.

The Lawson Robinson Hawke's Bay A&P Scholarship, recognising outstanding academic and leadership qualities in a student enrolled in a full time land-based production industries programme.

The last three awards are peer nominated.

Mr Linn said many people knew of others who had contributed through time, service or intellect to the development of the primary sector.

"It is our responsibility as a group to recognise those people. So if you have someone in your network who you think is a fitting recipient of those awards then it is your responsibility to step up and nominate them."

The awards dinner will be held at the Hawke's Bay Showgrounds on April 21.