Two Bay of Plenty farms are finalists in the prestigious 2014 Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Award for Dairy.

They are; Himiona Farm near Edgecumbe, owned by the Putauaki Trust and Ngakauroa Farm near Whakatane, owned by Ngati Awa Farms Ltd.

Last year's winner of the Ahuwhenua trophy was Tarawera Station, 60km west of Napier on the Taupo road. Photographed at the awards dinner are Pakeke Trustee, Heitia Hiha and the Chairman of the Te Awahohonu Forest Trust, Tamihana Nuku.

The third finalist, Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd is from Taranaki.

The finalists were announced on Wednesday night by Minister of Maori Affairs, Dr Pita Sharples, at a special function at Parliament and the winner will be announced on June 13 in Tauranga.

Himiona Farm is named for the late Himiona John Hunia, a past trustee who was instrumental in the purchase of the property in 2006. The farm is located midway between Te Teko and Edgecumbe, (opposite Kokohinau Marae).

Ngakauroa Farm, run by Ngati Awa Farms Limited near Whakatane, was purchased in 2008 and includes six Ngati Awa land trusts.

Te Rua o Te Moko Ltd is an amalgam of four Maori trusts and a leased Treaty settlement blocks just north of the Taranaki township of Hawera.

The annual Ahuwhenua Trophy competition alternates between sheep and beef and dairy farming and the 2014 competition is for the top performing Maori dairy farm.

Following their selection as finalists, they will then be subject to another round of judging which will include each of them staging a field day at their individual properties which will be open to members of the public.

The dates are: March 11- Putauaki Trust–Himiona Farm; March 14 - Te Rua o Te Moko and March 19 - Ngati Awa Farms–Ngakauroa Farm.

Congratulating the three finalists the Chairman of the Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee Kingi Smiler says all have clearly demonstrated that they have reached a very high standard not only in their farming operations but also in their commitment as kaitiaki of their lands.

He says all of the finalists have been innovative in putting together the organisations that run their farms. He says all three have seen small trusts and whanau cooperating to create larger and effective commercial units, which is a model for the wider growth of Maori agribusiness.

'Māori farms always aim to be highly successful and profitable operations, but in doing this they do not compromise their commitment to key values such as caring for the land and their people,” he says.

The Ahuwhenua Trophy competition was inaugurated eighty one years ago by the great visionary leader, Sir Apirana Ngata and the Governor General at the time, Lord Bledisloe with the aim of encouraging Māori to improve their farming operations.

'The value and intent of both Sir Apirana and Lord Bledisloe remains as relevant today as it was eighty one years ago. While farming systems and technology have changed, the Māori value of kaitiaki of their lands for future generations remain.”

For further information visit the Ahuwhenua Trophy website www.ahuwhenuatrophy.maori.nz.

BNZ is the Platinum Sponsor for the Award. Gold sponsors are DairyNZ, Fonterra, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Tumu Paeroa. Silver sponsors are AgResearch, Primary ITO, PGG Wrightson and Ballance Agri-Nutrients. Bronze sponsors are Allflex, AFFCO, BDO, Ecolab, LIC, and Polaris. Sponsor support is also supplied by the Federation of Māori Authorities, Landcorp, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Tohu Wines.