Showcasing environmentally and financially sustainable practices through the Ballance Farm Environment Awards has an important role in helping improve public understanding of farming says Margaret Wright, assessing co-ordinator for the Bay of Plenty awards.

The Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment award's finalist assessing team for 2014 are from left: Terry Harding, Lester Deighton, Margaret Wright and John Mackintosh.

'Most of the farmers and growers who enter the awards have to be encouraged to do so because they don't believe what they are doing is anything special – when in fact it is,” says Margaret, who with husband David, is a past awards winner.

The awards set out to find and showcase farmers and growers who are managing their properties and businesses in ways which protect and enhance the environment, care for the people they employ, the animals they farm and at the same time are financially sustainable.

'We tend to hear only the bad news stories about farming, when in fact the majority of farmers and growers are doing a great job and really do care about the environment. The awards are a way of showcasing those very good farmers to the general public and to enable other farmers to learn from them.”

There is a balance between caring for the environment and being able to make a living. 'It is often said that to be green, farmers [and growers] need to be in the black [financially] and that's true. It is also why we do look at the profitability of the businesses of finalists, because these awards are about farming systems which are sustainable financially as well as environmentally.

'It's only by being profitable that farmers and growers can continue to do what they enjoy, and continue to look after the environment too.”

Supreme winners of the 2012 New Zealand Ballance Farm Environment Award, Jane and Blair Smith, of North Otago, say they consider the three ‘Ps' in every farming decision they make – people, the planet and profit. The couple run Newhaven Farms Ltd, a sheep, beef, forestry and dairy support operation that spans three family-owned properties.

Margaret says their focus on the people involved in their business, the planet, which includes the animals and plants they farm, as well as the wider environment and the long term profitability of their business, is a model for modern farming.

While many are reluctant to enter the awards – Margaret admits she and David took some convincing to do so at first – there is much to be gained.

The teams of assessors who visit entrants include those with expertise in wildlife and the environment, rural professionals including bankers, fertiliser companies and dairy industry representatives, and a farmer or grower with experience in the type of property being assessed.

'The assessment process is not strictly a judging exercise. It is about visiting the properties, seeing what the owners are doing and listening to their stories. The assessors are happy to share their knowledge and in turn learn from the entrants too.”
Margaret says she and David found taking part in the awards was a valuable experience in stepping back and taking a fresh look at their property, what had been achieved and what was still to be done.

'When you are busy working away on the land you tend to forget how it was when you started, and how much has been improved.”

Those who gain the most from the awards are those who become fully involved, says Margaret. 'Meeting other entrants and attending the field day at the supreme winner's property are invaluable in what you can learn. There are so many ways of tackling similar issues and it's amazing what you can pick up. The awards are about educating, encouraging and inspiring us all.”

And they are also about helping protect the rights of farmers to continue to farm the land and produce food now and into the future.

To find out more about the awards, go to: www.nzfeatrust.org.nz