Northland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Celebrate the people and places behind the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, from past winners and regional contacts to the farms and sponsors shaping your region.

Key dates.

Entries Open

Now for 2027

Entries Close

31 October 2026

Finalists announced

February 2027

Awards Event

Wednesday 3rd March 2027

2027 Open Day

TBC

Current and past BFEA winners.

2026 Northland Regional Supreme Winner

Alan Dobbie

Alan Dobbie

Wiroa Horticulture
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • Norwood Farming Efficiency Award
  • Ministry for the Environment Biodiversity Award
  • Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award
Read their story

2026 Award Recipients

James & Krista Franklin

Ā Mua Ltd
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • FMG Risk Management Award
  • Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award
Read their story

Mervyn Evans

Burnage Road Orchards
  • Hill Labs Agri-Science Award
  • NZFET Innovation Award
Read their story

Murray Child and Dean Child

MJ & KE Child & Sons
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
Read their story

2025 Northland Regional Supreme Winner

Rob and Mandy Pye, Mangere Falls Farm

Rob and Mandy Pye, Mangere Falls Farm

Mangere Falls Farm
  • Northland Regional Supreme Winners 2025
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • Norwood Farming Efficiency Award
  • Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award
Read their story

2025 Award Recipients

Board of Trustees and Matthew Payne 

Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust
  • Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award
  • NZFET Climate Recognition Award
Read their story

Maria Puig and Mauricio Castellano

Maulen Partnership & Northland College Farm 
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • Hill Labs Agri-Science Award
Read their story

Pete Bond and Kelly Hackett 

Bond Farms
  • NZFET Biodiversity Award
Read their story

2024 Northland Regional Supreme Winner

Dean Candy​

Dean Candy​

Oromahoe Trust
  • Northland Regional Supreme Winner 2024
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award
Read their story

2024 Award Recipients

Adam & Laura Cullen

Ararua Hills Farm
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • NZFET Innovation Award
Read their story

Greg and Claire Collins

Emerald Hills
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • NZFET Climate Recognition Award
Read their story

Kevin and Mark Strawbridge

Northland Forestry Nursery
  • Hill Labs Agri-Science Award
  • Norwood Farming Efficiency Award
Read their story

Philip and Julia Leaf

Brierly Hill
  • NZFET Biodiversity Award
  • Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award
Read their story

2023 Northland Regional Supreme Winner

Andrew and Vicky Booth

Andrew and Vicky Booth

Jade Dairies
  • Northland Regional Supreme Winner 2023
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award
  • NZFET Climate Recognition Award
  • Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award
Read their story

2023 Award Recipients

David and Adrienne Wordsworth

D&A Wordsworth
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award
  • Norwood Farming Efficiency Award
  • NZFET Innovation Award
Read their story

Peter Jones, Tim Robinson, Ben & Tereza Byrne

The Landing
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • NZFET Biodiversity Award
Read their story

2022 Northland Regional Supreme Winner

Geoff & Jo Crawford of Crawford Farms

Geoff & Jo Crawford of Crawford Farms

Crawford Farms
  • Northland Regional Supreme Winner 2022
  • Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award
  • DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award
  • Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award
  • WaterForce Wise with Water Award
Read their story

2022 Award Recipients

Julian McPike and Trevor & Joy Smyth

Oneriri Station
  • Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award
  • Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award
  • Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award
Read their story

Kim & Graham Gilkison

Dancing Petrel Vineyard & Winery
  • Norwood Agri-Business Management Award
Read their story

Stuart Paterson & Melisa Jones

Tymana Farm
  • Northland Emerging Business Award
Read their story

Celebrating stewardship across Northland.

Northland

Bream Bay Rivers Catchment Group

View their story
Northland

Second time’s a charm

View their story
Northland

Kaipara Moana Remediation

View their story
Northland

Maria Puig and Mauricio Castellano

Maulen Partnership & Northland College Farm 
View their story
Northland

Board of Trustees and Matthew Payne 

Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust
View their story
Our regional partner

Northland Regional Council

Supporting sustainable land‑management and celebrating farmers who enhance both economy and environment.

Northland Regional Council introduced the Ballance Farm Environment Awards to their region in 2005 and is proud to remain a strong supporter of the BFEA programme.

Sustainable land management and protecting local waterways are key priorities for the council, and as such they sponsor the Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award.

Among all the success stories showcased over the 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.

View website

Northland region awards.

Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award

This Award focuses on the management of soil and nutrients. A strong understanding of nutrients and nutrient budgeting is demonstrated. The impacts of nutrients and management practices on both soil fertility as well as surface and ground water are understood and well managed.

Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award

This Award is focused on the all-important people side of the farming and growing business. It recognises the importance of staff management, succession, community involvement, health and safety and other practices associated with people management and wellbeing.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award

This Award recognises the livestock farmer who demonstrates a commitment to long-term land and animal stewardship. It considers sustainable use of land, labour and capital resources, with livestock well cared for and stock class and type managed appropriately to the land contour and soil type.

DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award

This Award recognises dairy farmers who demonstrate a strong commitment to managing, protecting and enhancing their environment. It focuses on sustainable on-farm actions that show high standards of environmental care and sustainable use of the land, stock, labour and capital resources.

FMG Risk Management Award

This award recognises those who have identified and proactively managed any risks that could negatively impact their business to minimise the likelihood or severity of those risks. This covers all aspects of people management and farm planning, including business and financial risk management.

Hill Labs Agri-Science Award

This Award recognises excellence in the use of science and monitoring to optimise productivity and minimise environmental impacts. A good understanding of soil, water, plant and crop protection should be demonstrated, with supporting measurement and monitoring in evidence.

Ministry for the Environment Biodiversity Award

This award recognises the biological diversity of the farming and growing business. It acknowledges the mahi of both the present and past guardians (Kaitiaki) of the land that have created an environment that encourages and allows biodiversity to thrive.

Norwood Farming Efficiency Award

This Award recognises the farmer or grower who is actively focused on resource use efficiency. It takes into account different types of efficiency such as equipment or fuel efficiency or precision agriculture and recognises those who are making data driven decisions to determine resource use.

Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award

This award recognises how farmers and growers manage a successful, sustainable farm business, including the use of business plans, benchmarking and succession planning. It also acknowledges engagement with industry professionals and networks that support long-term business sustainability.

Northland Regional Council Water Quality Enhancement Award

This Award recognises initiatives to protect and enhance water quality and biodiversity within the water that flows through and from the property, including limiting pollutants through good land management practices such as soil conservation, wetland protection and riparian management practices.

Regional coordinator.

Ellie Ball
09 438 3109
021 117 5324
northland@bfea.org.nz

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