Bayleys Canterbury Country Collection Edition 3 2019 | Page 5
THE BALLANCE FARM ENVIRONMENT AWARDS HAVE LONG BEEN A RESPECTED,
EXCITING HIGHLIGHT IN THE RURAL CALENDAR, WITH EACH YEAR’S AWARD
WINNERS DOING MUCH TO SHOWCASE THE BEST THIS COUNTRY HAS TO OFFER
IN FARMING TALENT THAT RECOGNISES AND RESPECTS THE ENVIRONMENT THEY
DEPEND UPON
This year the awards have a welcome addition with national
realtor Bayleys sponsoring a “People in the Primary Sector”
award.
Bayleys national country manager Duncan Ross said the
company’s move to sponsor the people category in the
awards is a timely one, given the focus within the agri-sector
on recruiting, keeping and advancing young talent.
The award aims to recognise those employers who are taking
as much care with their staff as their environment, fostering
talent and encouraging young people to engage with farming
and the environment.
Bayleys made an initial step last year by sponsoring this
category in the Canterbury section of the awards.
David Hislop and his wife Brenda claimed the top prize with
their success on their 440ha North Canterbury dairy unit.
They also ultimately claimed the regional winner title for the
competition.
“The decision to expand from there to offer an award across
the entire country is a natural one for Bayleys, given our
national coverage, and the importance we believe needs to
be placed on fostering talent in the New Zealand primary
sector,” says Duncan Ross, Bayleys national country manager.
This year’s Ballance Farm Environment Award
announcements are well underway, with the most talented
farmers gaining recognition for their sensitivity and
sustainable approach to managing the environment they are
so dependent upon.
“If you can’t take the people on your farm business along with
you, then all the vision in the world will not come to much
when you try to make it real and those people are not on
board with it,” says Ross.
Similarly the farmers have also proven themselves highly
capable business people, managing their environmental
constraints and delivering a sustainable profit from their
operations.
This year’s provincial award winners are in the process of
being announced before the Grand Final event held in early
June, and the calibre is as high as any year the competition
has been running.
James Ryan, general manager the New Zealand Farm
Environment Trust, the body overseeing the competition,
said this year’s competition highlights the diversity of farming
and orcharding operations qualifying for judging.
“The interest we have seen in this year’s competition in
particular highlights the diversity of farmers and growers
keen to get feedback to improve the sustainability of their
business.”
The contrast in entrants this year is highlighted with the likes
of Featherston sheep and beef farm Palliser Ridge claiming
the regional and Bayleys People award for Wellington.
At the other end of the island a Whangarei family claimed
that region’s top prize and also the Bayleys People award from
their 20ha berry and kiwifruit operation.
“Given the average size of almost all categories of farms
and orchards are increasing, we could see the importance
of being able to engage staff on the sustainable vision the
owners may have for that farm.” “There is a remarkable contrast between all the operations
who have won to date, but in many cases the thing that ties
them together is this ability to combine people into their
environmental focus, taking them along on the journey is the
true proof of sustainability,” says Ryan.
By early April of the seven regionacinners announced five had
also claimed the Bayleys People award. Duncan Ross said environmental awareness is also becoming
a draw card for attracting young staff to work on the land.
Duncan Ross said given the scale of the provincial winners’
operations, it was understandable those winners should be
recognised for the efforts they have made to promote a good
working environment for their staff. “Anything we can do to encourage that, and to recognise
those who are walking the walk for the environment and their
staff, is something we want to be part of,” says Ross.
Source: bayleys.co.nz/rural-insight