The Otago Daily Times and Rural Life have been overwhelmed by the support and enthusiasm for the 2023 Year of the Farmer initiative, which celebrates the South Island’s food and fibre producing champions and puts pride back into the primary sector.
Following its launch at the Wānaka A&P Show in March, screeds of nominations were received, covering the length of the South Island, and they made for heartwarming reading.
They also reflected exactly why we introduced this initiative — to highlight the work of farmers to create an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable future while also making a positive contribution to their rural communities.
From those in the early stages of their farming careers to industry veterans, and with a wide variety of farming and growing operations, their stories are inspiring, as is the commitment to their communities and their love for the land.
The nominations have been narrowed down to about 50 and interviews have nearly been completed with folk who are both humble and hard-working. The semifinalists will be profiled by myself and my team of rural reporters in a special publication to be published on August 30.
The five finalists will then be selected by a judging panel comprising 2018 Dairy Woman of the Year Loshni Manikam, media personality and Central Otago farmer Matt Chisholm, a representative from environmental consultancy Landpro and myself.
Those finalists will then be profiled at length in the Otago Daily Times before one outstanding rural champion is named as the winner of the Year of the Farmer on October 25.
The winner will receive a prize pack valued at $10,000, including a special Wānaka experience in conjunction with the Wānaka A& P Association. Speight’s has also come to the party — literally — and will provide a community shout for the winner, and Silver Fern Farms will be cranking up the barbecue.
The public will be able to have their say by voting for their favourite rural champion in the Farmlands People’s Choice award category.
Huge thanks to our major sponsors RD Petroleum and Silver Fern Farms.
The Year of the Farmer is also proudly sponsored by New Zealand Merino, Beef + Lamb New Zealand in association with the Southern South Island Farmer Council, Landpro, Speight’s, Freds Fencing, Farmlands and the Wānaka A&P Show.
