Dannevirke: Flawless run earns farmers top award

Norsewood sharemilkers Luke (left) and Renee Haye are congratulated on their gold award for four or more consecutive years grade-free by Andrew Hardie, Fonterra Shareholder's Council Hawke's Bay representative. The couple sharemilk for Bernard and Christine Murphy.

Grade-free suppliers allow Fonterra to meet its preferred customer status with product which can command a premium price.

Last week, 80 farmers from 49 dairy farms from Woodville to Gisborne attended the annual grade-free lunches in Dannevirke and Hastings.

Daryl Spooner, manager of BEL Group Takapau, receiving a gold grade-free certificate from Andrew Hardie at last week's Fonterra lunch in Hastings.

"In this region 20 per cent of farms achieved grade-free status in the 2015/16 season. To achieve this, all milk supplied must be free from any tested defects, including bacteria and water," Tony Haslett, Hawke's Bay area manager for Fonterra said.

"Five farms were awarded the coveted gold grade-free status, which means they have gone four or more consecutive years grade-free."

Those farmers were Vince and Lois Payne and Stuart and Brenda Thirkell, Dannevirke, Bernard and Christine Murphy and their sharemilkers Luke and Renee Hayee of Norsewood, David and Tracey Thompson of Takapau and Bruce and Sheree Jones from Otane.

And at the Hastings Fonterra grade-free lunch, Maraekakaho farmers Ivan and Sue Knauf received the 2016 Rose Cup awarded annually to a farm which has shown outstanding environmental stewardship.

"The Knaufs were highly placed in the recent Ballance Farm Environment Awards and Ivan has given great service as the dairy representative on the TANK catchment working group," Mr Haslett said.

Kevin Rose (left) with Maraekakaho farmers Ivan and Sue Knauf and Jillian Rose. The Knaufs were presented with the Rose Cup for outstanding environmental stewardship.

The cup was donated by Kevin Rose, a former Hawke's Bay regional councillor and his wife Jillian.

Luke and Renee Hayee milk 310 cows for the Murphys and Mr Murphy told the Dannevirke News it was good management and attention to detail in the cowshed which brought grade-free status.

"Most of the credit goes to Luke," he said. "You have to have your systems right and not get distracted."