Media Releases

Changes open up Sharemilker Contest

2 September 2009

Changes to the 2010 New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year competition will open the contest to a wider group of potential entrants.

Organising Committee Chairman Matthew Richards says the committee has agreed on changes that will enable equity dairy farm managers to enter the sharemilker contest, so long as they own more than 25% and up to 50% of the business they are employed in.

"We've made the change to reflect the changing nature of employment structures in the dairy industry. There has been a noticeable increase in the number of aspiring dairy farmers moving from farm management direct to an equity farm ownership position rather than sharemilking.

"In most of these instances, the equity farm managers and sharemilkers have a similar amount invested in the dairy industry and similar goals to own their own farms," Mr Richards says.

The New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year competition is run by the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, along with the New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year. The awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, Honda, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner Agriculture ITO.

Mr Richards says the contest's rules had prevented equity managers from entering the sharemilker contest or had included them within the Farm Manager of the Year competition. 

"It is obvious their level of skill, management and investment in the industry is more equal to sharemilkers."

He says the competition will continue to be called the Sharemilker of the Year, although that may change in the future should further changes occur to ensure the competition remains relevant in the evolving industry.

"We are being open-minded as to what the future may hold. Our key goal is to provide a forum where excellence in the industry is encouraged and recognised at every step along the way and support is given to help people achieve their farming goals."

Equity managers owning less than 25% of the business they are employed in will still be able to enter the farm manager contest.

Entries for the three competitions open on 1 November, with entry forms available on this website.
 

For Further Information:
Chris Keeping
National Convenor
021 425 791

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