The Mannerings from Waytemore Farms in Paparimu have been named 2022 Regional Supreme Winners in the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust, the awards champion sustainable farming and growing, with the Auckland awards announced on 21 June.
Waytemore Farms, a sheep, beef, and dairy farm, consists of three family farm holdings that are managed as one entity by the Mannerings. 1,177ha supports one dairy farm and the sheep and beef farm, while a nearby block of 277ha supports another dairy farm.
The Mannerings run a breeding flock of 2,100 Romney ewes, along with 720 beef cattle, and 860 dairy cows with 360 replacements. It’s a mostly closed model where the dairy and beef operations support each other.
At Waytemore Farms, there’s a passion for protecting and enhancing the high-quality native bush and wetland areas. The property features a substantial amount of native forest and significant effort goes into conservation work, including sustained predator control and fencing off well-established indigenous forests, waterways and wetlands. To ensure their focus on sustainable farming is continued, the Mannerings have employed a farm manager trained in ecology and a dedicated farm ranger trained in conservation biology.
The judges praised the team’s farming practices that have resulted in excellent production and stock health alongside regeneration of the special native bush blocks.
“The Mannerings have shown a lifelong passion for combining a profitable, mixed-farm unit while protecting and enhancing the considerable natural assets found on-farm,” said the judges. “The business structure has been set up to support this environmental focus.”
The Mannerings also won the following awards:
· DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
· Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award
· Massey University Innovation Award
· Auckland Council Water Quality Enhancement Award
A public field day will be held at Waytemore Farms in October 2022.
OTHER AUCKLAND BALLANCE FARM ENVIRONMENT AWARD WINNERS 2022
· Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award: Shane & Jenny Hood and Gill & Kevin Adshead, Mataia Farm & Manaia Properties
· Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award: Auckland Council – Atiu Creek Regional Park
· Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award: Shane & Jenny Hood and Gill & Kevin Adshead, Mataia Farm & Manaia Properties
· Norwood Agri-Business Management Award: Shane & Jenny Hood and Gill & Kevin Adshead, Mataia Farm & Manaia Properties
· WaterForce Farm Stewardship Award: Rob & Rachel Cashmore, Cashmore Farms
