Finalists in the 2012 Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Māori Excellence in Farming Award
The finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua Trophy – BNZ Māori Excellence in Farming Award, the premier award for Māori in agribusiness, have been announced.
The finalists in the 2012 Dairy competition are:
Tauhara Moana Trust, Taupō
- Kapenga M Trust, Rotorua
- Wharepī Whānau Trust, Te Puke
Public field days will be held on the property of each finalist on the following days:
Friday 27th April – Kapenga M,675 Tumunui Road, Rotorua
- Thursday 3rd May – Tauhara Moana 683 Broadlands Road, Taupō
- Thursday 10th May – Waewaetutuki 10, 175 Kaikōkopu Road, Paengaroa, Te Puke (Wharepī Whānau Trust)
The chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy management committee, Kingi Smiler, congratulated all the finalists and said he was looking forward to visiting each farm on their field day.
"Field day visitors will get a fascinating snapshot of first rate Māori agribusinesses in different stages of their development," he said.
Each year the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition, which was first established in 1932 by Sir Apirana Ngata, alternates between sheep and beef farmers and dairy farmers. This is the fourth year since the competition was revived that entrants will compete for the Ahuwhenua Trophy for Excellence in Māori dairy farming.
Spokesperson for the competition's Platinum Sponsor, BNZ's Head of Agribusiness, Richard Bowman, reaffirmed the bank's commitment to the competition.
"Our long term involvement has given us the opportunity of supporting Māori farming trusts and incorporations to a point where they have positioned themselves as significant participants in all parts of the global agricultural value chain.
"What we have seen this year continues to excite us. Congratulations to all these finalists who illustrate outstanding business knowledge and fundamentals whilst keeping their land and their people at the centre of everything they do.”
The Ahuwhenua Trophy is the premier award for Māori in agribusiness. It acknowledges and celebrates business excellence in the New Zealand pastoral sector and is open to Māori farming properties either owned individually, or managed by Māori Trusts and Incorporations in New Zealand.
BNZ is the Platinum Sponsor for the Award. Gold sponsors are Fonterra, DairyNZ and Te Puni Kōkiri. Silver sponsors are AgResearch, AgITO, PGG Wrightson and Ballance Agri-Nutrients. Bronze sponsors are Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Allflex, AFFCO, BDO, Māori Trustee, LIC, Re:Gen and Polaris. Sponsor support will also be supplied by Tohu Wines, FoMA, Landcorp, Agrecovery and Ecolab.
