3 November 2009

FONTERRA CHAIR LAUNCHES REGIONAL DAIRY AWARDS

Fonterra Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden is guest speaker at the first of 12 special events to officially launch the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards regional competitions.

National Convenor Chris Keeping says the organising committee is pleased Sir Henry has accepted an invitation to speak at the Auckland Hauraki regional launch on a farm near Pokeno this Thursday (November 5).

Entries in the 2010 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, incorporating the Sharemilker of the Year, Farm Manager of the Year and Dairy Trainee of the Year, opened on November 1.

“Sir Henry’s attendance is a reflection in the way both he and Fonterra support the awards and their recognition of the awards as an important way to identify talented up-and-coming dairy farmers and future industry leaders.

“Our awards are integral to identifying excellence and promoting best practice among dairy farmers – as well as helping to provide an opportunity for passionate and aspiring farmers to progress their career through recognition and reward.”

Ms Keeping says awards entrants enter one of the 12 regional competitions, with all regional winners progressing to a national final to be held in Rotorua in May next year. Along the way they will compete for cash and prizes worth more than $700,000 nationwide.

The Auckland Hauraki regional launch is the first and has its own theme, Pathways to Success. It is being held on a Mangatangi farm near Pokeno, south of Auckland.

Other launches are being held in a new farm dairy, a robotic dairy, a research farm, at LIC’s headquarters, at an A&P Show, on dairy farms, in a golf club and in country pubs.

The Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner Agriculture ITO.

Entries open on November 1 and will close on December 24. Entry forms can be downloaded at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.