Our Partners
We have a range of both national and regional partners that support the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust and Ballance Farm Environment Awards in a variety of ways.
FARMAX
Goldpine
Goldpine is proud to partner with the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust in celebrating excellence in sustainable farming practices. At the core of this collaboration is the profound synergy between Goldpine’s values for environmental products and the remarkable initiatives undertaken by farmers striving for environmental excellence. Together, we are united by a common vision that champions responsible agriculture, innovation, and the preservation of New Zealand’s natural beauty.
Horticulture New Zealand
The mission of HorticultureNZ is to create an enduring environment where growers prosper. Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) is an incorporated society representing the interests of New Zealand’s 5,000 commercial fruit, vegetable and berry fruit. The organisation works for the benefit of grower members on horticulture industry-wide activities and issues.
Landpro
At Landpro, we live by 3 key values: Be Collaborative, Be Honest, Be Your Best (and have fun along the way!) We bring these values into our relationships with New Zealand farmers and growers – who we’ve been working with for more than 15 years. We work with farmers nationwide to ensure they have the right information to plan effectively and make informed environmental decisions that contribute to a sustainable future.
A key part of being your best in today’s climate is ensuring the sustainability of our agricultural sector, an increasingly essential piece of farm planning and operation as we look to the future. We’re proud to be a strategic partner of the Ballance Farm Environmental Awards and the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust who are committed to this long-term goal.
Lincoln University
Ministry for Primary Industries
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is proud to be a partner of the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust. Our mission is to grow the primary industries, while protecting New Zealand’s natural resources. The work of the Trust embodies this vision, and we are proud to support them.
New Zealand’s reputation as one of the world’s top producers of sustainable, safe and quality food is critical to growing the value of our primary exports. The Ballance Farm Environment Awards showcase what is being done by farmers and growers across the country to deserve this reputation. MPI applauds the dedication of the entrants to producing top quality products in a sustainable way.
Entrants to the Awards are excellent role models for the farming community. Sharing knowledge and skills in this way is vital to overcoming challenges and ensuring the resilience and sustainability of the primary sector.
Muka Tangata
Muka Tangata is the voice of the food and fibre sector in vocational education and training. We ensure that vocational education qualifications, programmes and delivery meet industry workforce skills needs.
Our partnership with NZFET assists Muka Tangata to engage with sector leaders and provides access to contemporary resources coming from the sector as part of our qualification development projects. It’s through hearing the voices from these forward-thinking people that we can better shape vocational education and training needs for the food and fibre sector.
PBB
Performance Beef Breeders (PBB) is proud to partner with the Ballance Farm Environment Awards and the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust. The Trust and the Awards align perfectly with our mission to provide leadership in innovation and services that encourage a sustainable future and improved profitability.
PBB provides genomic testing, livestock evaluations, animal identification solutions, ad agency and creative services, accounting, and administrative services around New Zealand and Australia. The team at PBB are passionate about making farmers’ lives easier.
UBCO Electric Utility Motorbikes
As a company deeply rooted in innovation and sustainability, partnering with the NZFE Trust was a natural choice for UBCO. Our New Zealand designed all-wheel drive, all-terrain electric utility motorbikes serve a diverse range of riders and fleets – farming, conservation, hunting, and adventuring.
Auckland Council
Auckland councillor, Penny Webster, former president of Auckland Federated Farmers, says bringing the Ballance Farm Environment Awards to Auckland will be great for the region.
“I think it’s very important that Auckland gets involved in a competition like this. Auckland’s large rural constituency on both the northern and southern sides of the city is a very important part of the regional economy. Anything we can do to help farmers improve their environmental sustainability has to be good for the region.
The competition is also a good way for farmers to show urban Auckland that they take their environmental responsibilities very seriously.”
Auckland region’s northern boundary spans from South Head across to just south of Mangawhai, stretching out to Great Barrier Island. Its southern boundary encompasses Waiuku, Pukekohe and reaches across to the Firth of Thames.
Penny Webster – Councillor, Auckland Council
Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Sustainable management of our land and water is the backbone of Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s mission, which is why we have sponsored the Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards for the past 13 years.
These awards support and encourage the practices which will ensure we have healthy and sustainable resources on the land and water for both current and future generations.
We are facing some major challenges in our region to improve our waterways, particularly the Rotorua lakes and Tauranga Harbour, and the practical on-farm methods developed by the environmentally-conscious farmers who participate in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards are at the heart of this work.
We are impressed by our farmers’ willingness to look more closely at what they are doing on the land to protect their waterways, reducing nutrients, preventing erosion, managing pests and improving biodiversity. Most importantly they are willing to share their solutions with others.
Congratulations to John and Catherine Ford, Highlands Station, the first national winners of the 2015 Ballance Farm Environment Awards from the Bay of Plenty. They have made us very proud.
Douglas Leeder – Chairman, Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Environment Canterbury Regional Council
Environment Canterbury is delighted to have an ongoing association with the Ballance Farm Environment Awards as a Regional Partner.
The Canterbury Regional Ballance Farm Environment Awards provide an opportunity to recognise leadership socially, environmentally, financially and sustainably on farm.
The Awards recognise and celebrate that best practice on-farm management is good for business and good for the environment.
By reducing the adverse effects on the environment we enhance not only our social and cultural well-being but help ensure the long term sustainability of our farming industry.
The best way to achieve this is through working in partnership with the communities in the Canterbury region and by continuing to support the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The on-farm field days held following the awards’ conclusion are a particular highlight for us as they are a celebration of excellence in farm management and provide a useful demonstration for farmers to learn new approaches. We commend each entrant, and all those involved in running the awards for their hard work in promoting sustainable farming practices.
Dame Margaret Bazley, ONZ, DNZM, Hon D.Lit – Chair of Commissioners, Environment Canterbury
Environment Southland
Environment Southland chairman Ali Timms says the partnership between Environment Southland and the Ballance Farm Environment Awards will produce significant gains for the region.
Working together to support and celebrate leadership in Southland will result in ongoing positive outcomes both on-farm and environmentally.
Ali Timms – Chairman, Environment Southland
Gisborne District Council
Another great and successful competition our region has participated in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. The region was also delighted to have had two finalists in the Ahuwhenua comptetion.
This was evident in more entries and the higher calibre of hard working farmers participating.
It goes with saying that the level of betterment is continuing to grow in our district as people are becoming more aware of sustainable farming into the future.
Farmers want the same as environmentalist, farmers sole survival is how well they look after their land for the now and the present
I thank all that participated from participants, judges, sponsors. The future bodes well for us as a great paradise to continue and build on the good work we are all doing. Kia ora
Meng Foon – Mayor, Gisborne District Council
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Greater Wellington Regional Council is proud to continue to support the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The awards celebrate excellence in sustainable land management and allow farmers to share innovative farming practices and discuss practical solutions to sustainability issues.
They show that the restoration and enhancement of the environment and profitability can be successfully integrated build a positive and profitable future for farming in New Zealand.
Greater Wellington Regional Council is pleased to continue our involvement with the awards which help to promote better outcomes for all involved.
Chris Laidlaw– Chair, Greater Wellington Regional Council
Hawke's Bay Regional Council
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Gisborne District Council are proud to continue our partnership with the Awards.
Rex Graham – Chairman, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
Horizons Regional Council
Horizons Regional Council is proud to support the Ballance Farm Environment Awards and their celebration of those who have created systems enhancing the environment while maintaining profitability.
Horizons has been involved with the Ballance Farm Environment Awards since 2004. We see great value in this involvement each year as the Awards not only recognise successful farmers in our region, but also provide the opportunity for Council to build stronger links with the community, share ideas and work in partnership with landowners to achieve environmental best practice.
Horizons also has a dedicated Integration of Trees Award which recognises the farmer who has planted trees to improve the sustainability of the property. It encompasses soil erosion, biodiversity, stock well-being and aesthetics.
We look forward to the future of this partnership as we work to enhance our region’s environment alongside its economy.
Dr Rachel Keedwell – Chair, Horizons Regional Council
Northland Regional Council
A decade on from helping to establish these awards in our region, Northland Regional Council is proud to remain a strong supporter of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Sustainable land management is a key priority for this council and we’re continually impressed with the commitment and drive towards this goal shown by those who enter the awards.
Among all the success stories we’ve seen showcased over the last ten years runs a common theme: that profitabilty need not come at the expense of our environment.
In fact, the best examples show that farming can actually restore and enhance the environmental values our communities hold dear.
Likewise, the winners’ stories profiled through the awards encourage and set a great example to other farmers of how they too can proactively manage their environment as part of an economically viable agricultural enterprise.
Bill Shepherd – Chairman, Northland Regional Council
Otago Regional Council
The Otago Regional Council has supported the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for several years. Otago Regional Council congratulates all land managers, from across Otago’s primary production sector, who have entered the awards and demonstrated that they have achieved high standards of sustainable land management.
Life on any type of farm is complex and busy, and balancing environmental, economic and social issues in this working environment is an art and a science. The Ballance Farm Environment Awards directly assist this creative process, and in doing so supports resource management policies that Otago Regional Council has developed that call for land managers to manage their water and land resources in a sustainable way. We value our association with them.
The Ballance Farm Environment Awards also help farmers develop and share their knowledge of the latest quality farm management practices which play a part in maintaining New Zealand’s position as one of the world’s most innovative agricultural producers.
Stephen Woodhead – Chairman
Taranaki Regional Council
The caliber of our regional Ballance Farm Environment Awards winners and finalists has certainly vindicated the Taranaki Regional Council’s decision to form a partnership with the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust to bring these awards to the region.
Taranaki’s Supreme Winners for 2015, Mark and Jacqui Muller with Conrad Maeke, clearly demonstrated why our farmers rank with the best anywhere.
The Ballance Farm Environment Awards, with their national scope and competitive focus, perfectly complement our own long-standing Taranaki Regional Council Environmental Awards, which highlight and celebrate environmental achievement across all sectors of the regional community.
Just one of the reasons Taranaki is truly like no other.
David MacLeod – Chairman, Taranaki Regional Council
Waikato Regional Council
Waikato Regional Council has a long standing relationship with the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust due to our strongly aligned objectives to promote sustainable farming in our region. The council is pleased to support the Trust both technically and financially and to play a key role in supporting successful awards in the Waikato.
Collaboration is vital. Only be working together can we be successful in sharing and promoting sound on-farm environmental management practices. Both farmers and the environment and our wider communities benefit. Sustainable farming is fundamental to the continued well-being of the Waikato environmentally and economically.
Presently, we are working collaboratively to protect water quality in the Waikato. We’re working with iwi and stakeholders to develop changes to the regional plan to help restore and protect the health of the Waikato and Waipa rivers which, along with our other waterways, are a key to a vibrant regional economy. Meanwhile, we are working across our region to promote sustainable practices.
The Trust has a very important role in supporting this long-term goal of better protection for our land and waterways. The council appreciates the great work the Trust does.
Paula Southgate – Chairperson, Waikato Regional Council