Jon and Steph Russell are the 2010 Bay of Plenty Sharemilkers of the Year after receiving their prize at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards dinner on Tuesday night.
The Russells take home $14,000 in cash and prizes, while Russell Meade will take home $6650 in cash and prizes after he was named Bay of Plenty Farm Manager of the Year.

Jon and Steph Russell, 2010 Bay of Plenty Sharemilker of the Year.

Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year was awarded to David Kehely.
All three winners will now compete for the New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year titles and a prize pool of more than $130,000 in Rotorua on May 15.

Sharemilker Merit Awards:
BlackmanSpargo Legal Audit Award – Paul & Clare Shortt
DairyNZ Human Resources Award – Bill Danby
Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Jon & Steph Russell
Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) Leadership Award – Fraser McGougan
Honda Farm Safety and Health Award – Fraser McGougan
LIC Recording and Productivity Award – Paul & Clare Shortt
Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Jon & Steph Russell
Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Jon & Steph Russell
Westpac Business Performance Award – Paul & Clare Shortt

Farm Manager Merit Awards:
DairyNZ Human Resource Management Award – Bruce Knudsen
RD1 Farm Management Award – Warren & Jo Lee
Westpac Financial Planning and Management Award – Russell Meade