The 2011 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are launched with a number of changes to the country's longest running dairy competition.
One of the most significant changes is an entry criteria change; reflected in the competition's new name.

The competition is now known as the New Zealand Sharemilker Equity Manager of the Year.

The change enables equity managers to participate in the New Zealand Sharemilker of the Year contest.
Management committee chair Matthew Richards says the changes reflect what is happening on farms around the country, with a trend towards employing farm managers and the development of equity partnerships in ownership
structures.

'We know dairy farmers still aspire to own their own farms, but the number of ways people can achieve that has evolved and there are now a variety of pathways people can take,” says Matthew.
'The whole idea of the Dairy Industry Awards is to capture as many people as we can and to give them the opportunity to be involved in the awards.
'We want to encourage those with a passion to progress in the industry, to participate in the awards irrespective of the pathway they have chosen.”

Matthew says the benefits of taking part in the competition remain the same.
'It's an opportunity for those in the industry to better themselves and their business while building strong networks and friendships with rural professionals and farmers from around the country.”
Changes are also in-store for the awards' other competitions, the New Zealand farm Manager of the Year and the New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Farm managers and contract milkers will be able to enter the farm manager competition; as long as they have no equity in the farm they manage or contract milk on.
There is now an age limit on the dairy trainee competition, entrants must be aged between 18 and 30 on December 31.

Matthew says people have entered the trainee contest after switching careers when they are more mature in life.
'The aim of this contest is to encourage young people with up to five years experience in the industry to lift their skills and gain recognition for their efforts – and then progress in the industry.”
Entries for the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards open November 1.