Ahuwhenua Trophy field days celebrate Māori dairy farmers

We’re passionate about supporting the development of whenua Māori and the inspirational Māori leading innovation in the agribusiness sector.

The Ahuwhenua Trophy acknowledges and celebrates business excellence in New Zealand's important pastoral and horticultural sectors. This competition is held annually, alternating each year between dairy and sheep & beef, and now also horticulture.

This year we are celebrating Māori dairy farmers.

The open field days provide an excellent opportunity for the owners of the properties to tell their story and to show people around their farms. Members of the public, those involved in the agri-sector, friends, whanau, and associates, spend a day seeing just how progressive, innovative, and sustainable Maori farms are and how they are becoming role models for all farmers in Aotearoa.

Field days were held at each of the finalists farms: Pouarua Farms - Ngatea, Tataiwhetu Trust – Ruatoki, Tunapahore B2A Incorporation – Opotiki.

Dr Charlotte Severne, the Māori Trustee and Te Hāmua Nikora, Pou Tikanga, attended the events.

Te Hāmua said it was exciting to go to these farms, meet the different workers and hear about what they do now for the lands previously walked upon by their own ancestors.

Guests also included Minister of Agriculture, Hon Damien O’Connor; Minister for Māori Development, Hon Willie Jackson and the Associate Minister for Agriculture, Hon Meka Whaitiri. Also present were rural professionals, central and local government officials, and local farmers.

The finalists in the 2021 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Dairy Award (Anahera Hale, Ben Purua and Quinn Morgan) were also present at the field days.

The winner will be announced at the trophy awards dinner in New Plymouth on Friday 14 May. For more details visit the Ahuwhenua Trophy website here.

Photography credit to www.alphapix.co.nz