There is also little farmers and growers can do about weather, commodity prices and ever-increasing on-farm costs.
But what we all can do is take a minute to focus on the positives and raise a glass — be it of Taieri pasture-raised milk, a Central Otago pinot noir, or a whisky produced from Southland barley — to our Rural Champions; those who have chosen life on the land, with all the challenges that entails while also making their rural communities a better place to live.
Last year’s Year of the Farmer campaign was a resounding success, capped off by naming the indomitable Myfanwy Alexander, from Duntroon, as our inaugural Rural Champion. Since then, Myfanwy has continued her fabulous work in the agricultural sector, including launching a podcast with her friend Emily Walker called Ag in Conversation, and being named a finalist in the Dairy Woman of the Year. I am excited to see what other great things are around the corner for her.
It seemed that Year of the Farmer would be hard to top but, after making the call for nominations for our 2024 Rural Champions campaign, they flooded in from the north and south of the South Island, and the east and west.
This year, we added an additional category — those who work in rural support; the often behind-the-scenes folk critical to the smooth running of farming and growing operations — and we were delighted with the breadth of nominations.
During these uncertain times, the stories captured in this publication are a salient reminder of all that is good about New Zealand’s rural sector. Humble, hardworking folk who persevere among a myriad of challenges, adapting and innovating to sustain their farms, support their families, and contribute to the wellbeing of their communities.
Now our judges — Myfanwy, Rabobank’s acting chief sustainability officer Blake Holgate, a representative from Landpro, and myself — have the hard task of deliberating.
In October, one outstanding food producer will be named our Rural Champion — along with our champion rural services provider — and we will again celebrate their contribution to the rural sector. I can’t wait.
People’s choice award
The Otago Daily Times and Rural Life are celebrating our Rural Champions, an initiative that shines a spotlight on the work and community contributions of our farmers, growers and rural services providers.
The support and enthusiasm for Rural Champions has been overwhelming. More than 100 high-quality nominations have been sent in.
Last month, 39 semifinalists were found. In this week’s edition of the The Ensign we profile those semifinalists from our region.
Remember to vote for the people’s choice award, sponsored by Farmlands. Everyone voting goes in the draw to win one of five $200 Farmlands gift cards.
Visit https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/farmlands-peoples-choice-vote/2024 to vote for your "rural champion".
