Te Rua O Te Moko Ltd has been announced as the winner of the 2014 Ahuwhenua Trophy Mori Excellence in Farming Award.

'There was a real buzz at the event in Tauranga which attracted 900 tonight. I take my hat off to Te Rua O Te Moko, and to the other two finalists this year; each one is an exemplar for rural economic development,” says Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy.

'As a trustee of the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition, I'm excited to support, acknowledge and celebrate the significant role Māori play in New Zealand's primary industries.”

Nathan says Maori agribusiness is a major contributor to New Zealand's primary sector, and the wider New Zealand economy.

'The innovation of these finalists in pulling smaller land holdings into larger, more commercially effective dairy farms is great examples for wider Maori agribusiness development.”

Last year, MPI released a report that estimated lifting productivity on over one million hectares of Maori freehold land to average industry benchmarks could result in an additional $8 billion in gross output, and 3,600 new jobs for the primary sector.

'The Ahuwhenua Trophy showcases farms delivering the sort of outcomes that other Maori land owners should aspire to,” says Nathan.

'The Government is committed to working with Maori to grow the sustainable productivity of their primary sector assets, and continue to increase rural economic development.”

The winner of the young Maori Farmer Award went to Wiremu Reid, a lower order sharemilker from Winton.

'I would like to congratulate all farmers involved in this year's competition and I look forward to seeing more examples of Maori farmers striving to achieve excellence, and the continued growth of Māori agribusiness.”