The Ballance Farm Environment Awards for 2019-2020 are now open.
The awards run in 11 regions throughout New Zealand and promotes sustainable farming and growing.
In a new initiative, both farmers and growers can now be nominated to enter the wards.
Through the awards programme, farmers and growers are invited to showcase, benchmark, and improve their operations through a constructive process where agribusiness professionals provide feedback, recommendations, and commendations.
Auckland Council sponsors the Water Quality Enhancement Award for the Auckland region. Winners at the last awards, Cameron and Jo Shepherd of Wellsford said they used the opportunity to challenge themselves and have a yardstick of where they sat environmentally in relation to other farms.
The judges take a holistic approach to the feedback and award allocation process by evaluating every aspect of the farming/growing business from environmental management, productivity, and profitability through to family and community involvement.
The winners of the Supreme Regional award were Ross and Eleanore Webber, who farm beef cattle overlooking the Kaipara Harbour at South Head.
Entries are open until Thursday 31 October 2019 here
