This is the third year Environment Bay of Plenty is coordinating the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for the region. The Award recognises sustainable farming practices with long term profitability and encourages people to learn more about and find practical solutions to achieve sustainable land use.
Brett and Rachael Wotton from Tablelands, Opotiki have been named the winners of the 2005 Supreme Award at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The are winners of:
- Ballance Agri-Nutrients Management Award
- Hill Laboratories Harvest Award
Brett and Rachael Wotton operate a 22-hectare net canopy operation on five orchards. These orchards are all within close proximity on the tablelands area of Opotiki and in very tidy condition with orchard structures in an exceptionally sound state.
For more information on them and the other winners, visit our 2005 Awards page.
Media Release
Opotiki Orchardists win supreme award
Opotiki kiwifruit growers Brett and Rachael Wotton are the supreme award winners of the third Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards – and the first orchardists to take the top prize.
The Farm Environment Awards were established in 1993 as a joint initiative between the Waikato Conservation Board and Environment Waikato. In 1995 an independant Trust (Farm Environment Award Trust) was set up to administer the awards. Ballance Agri-Nutrients is working with the trust and Regional Councils to develop the awards throughout New Zealand.
The key objectives of the Awards are to display to farmers that profitability need not compromise and, in the best examples, can restore and enhance environmental values.
Through feedback and profiling winners, the Awards encourage other farmers to be more proactive in their resource management by providing them with role models for sustainable land management.
The awards look at whole farm systems and strongly promote the positive. Every entrant is given feedback from specialist judges.
The key question the Trust asks is, "Can what is being done now, still be working successfully in 100 years?"
Comments from previous entrants
The previous participants from different regions have stated some benefits from entering:
- Linking sustainable farming practices to long-term profitability.
- Discussing practical farm information and business with judges from a range of fields.
- Gathering new ideas and different methods from other entrants.
- Confirming that your current farm management practices are sustainable.
- Prizes and recognition.
Entries will be considered for the following award categories:
Supreme Award
Ballance Agri-Nutrients Nutrient Management Award
ANZ Grow Award
Livestock Improvement Best Dairy Farm Award
Richmond Best Livestock Farm Award
BFEA Heritage Restoration Award
Hill Laboratories Harvest Award
Gallagher Innovation Awards
Environment Bay of Plenty Environmental Awards
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