Four farmers from Canterbury and Marlborough are the finalists in the Lincoln University Foundation's South Island Farmer of the Year competition.
This year's theme was innovation in farming and, for the first time, the competition was open to all farming sectors.
Foundation chairman and judge Neil Taylor said the finalists were chosen after an on-farm inspection and then a business analysis at Lincoln University.
"The finalists are a remarkable group of farmers who are successful because they have been innovative in their use of technology, use innovative management structures, brave enough to transform land use and willing to risk farm productivity for the pursuit of excellence," he said.
The winner will be announced on November 5 and will receive a $15,000 travel award, with the runner-up receiving a $7500 travel award.
The farmer who best implements cutting-edge innovation on their farm will receive a GPS system.
The finalists are. -Craige and Roz Mackenzie, cropping and dairy farmers from Methven who have patented their own technology and started an agri-advisory business.
Richard Daly, part-owner and manager of a large sheep, deer, beef, dairy grazing and cropping farming company in central Canterbury which has grown substantially in the past decade.
Doug, Wendy, Fraser and Shelley Avery, who have transformed their drought-prone sheep and beef farm near Seddon and improved its profitability.
John Evans, a cropping, sheep and beef farmer from Mid Canterbury who uses technology to make farming easier and is involved in multiple research trials.