It has been a very tough, wet year for most dairy farmers across New Zealand. However, with calving finished and mating under way, now's the time to think about getting back that passion for producing milk and looking after cows every day.
The best way to do this is to enter the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.
Those who enter into the top category, Share Farmer of the Year, are judged on all aspects of the farm because they run the farm. It includes scrutiny of their staff management and environmental policies as well as their pasture management and animal husbandry skills.
Those who enter into the Dairy Manager of the Year category are judged on those aspects of the business they have control over as well as choosing a topic to present to the judges. The Dairy Trainee of the Year entrants will be expected to show off their practical skills as well as being interviewed on their knowledge by the judges.
Federated Farmers has always supported these competitions, and given we started it all off with the Sharemilker of the Year competition in Taranaki in the 1970s, it's not surprising. That it became a national competition in 1990 and with other categories by 2006 is a bonus.
