This award is presented annually to a NZ farmer who excels at the business of farming, shows initiative and drive while contributing to family and community life.   The award commemorates Mr AC Cameron for his large contribution to both the Young Farmers Club and the RAS.   This competition attracts farmers of the highest standard.

Winners:

Past Winners List

Past Winners Articles

2006 Winner Article

Download the 2006 Entry Forms

 

---

26 June 2006

FARM PRODUCTION & PROFITABILITY LEADS TO SUCCESS

Rob, Sandra, Will & Kirsten Foley scored well in all areas of the FMG Rural Excellence Award, however their ability to maximize farm production and profits was realized when they were announced as the 2006 Award winners.  At a dinner function recently in Palmerston North the Foleys’ were presented with a $7000 travel prize sponsored by FMG, along with the prestigious Royal Agricultural Society’s gold medal and life membership.

The FMG Rural Excellence Award, which commemorates the life of Mr Alexander Cameron, founder of Young Farmers Clubs and General Manager of FMG for many years, celebrates ‘the best in farming’ and differs from other farming awards in that it also takes into consideration industry and community involvement.

National convenor of the competition, Mr Richard Lemon, said this year’s competition was nother closely contested final. “This Award has always been about the very best of farmers and this year was no different.  The finalists were all of a very high quality and running extremely good operations.  The judges had their work cut out to decide an overall winner.”

The competition was judged across 18 categories including production, profitability, planning, innovation, farm presentation as well as industry and community involvement. This year more emphasis was placed on ‘sustainable production and profitability’ and ‘leadership – both within the industry and community’.  While all five finalists ran extremely successful farming operations; judges, John Butchard and Sam Robinson were impressed with the Foleys’ overall ability and skills, and it is no surprise the Foleys’ were the leading point scorers in the area of sustainable production and profitability.  The judges also commented on the Foleys ability to build key relationships with staff, suppliers, and customers, as well as maintaining active roles in the community.

Rob and Will Foley run a breeding and finishing unit in Hawkes Bay with a total land area of 1,254 hectares of which 1,130 hectares is effective.  The land farmed includes a hill country-breeding unit and finishing blocks at Takapau.

The key to the breeding operation is the hill country property situated in the foothills of the Wakarara Ranges.  High levels of production are being achieved from the Romney ewes, which are farmed on this property. Some trading cattle are also run on the hill block over the spring/summer period before being moved to Takapau for finishing.  A feature of the farming operation is the logical integration of the hill country (breeding) with the high producing finishing country. 

                                                                                                                                                                     

Significant development has occurred over the last five years since Rob and Will took over the responsibility for the management of the farming operation from their parents. The hill block has been subdivided with 24 paddocks becoming 120 paddocks.  Intensive subdivision has also occurred on the Takapau properties.  Extensive water supply development to complement the subdivision, has also occurred.  Where necessary, new sheep and cattle yards have been constructed (or reconfigured) and a new 4-stand woolshed was built on the hill block in 2004.

Will Foley is in charge of the farming operations assisted by three labour unit equivalents including a full time manager for the hill block and a shepherd for the Takapau finishing blocks.

In addition to the farming enterprise, the Foley brothers operate a contracting business of significant scale.  Rob Foley manages the contracting business, which supplies services to several customers including their own farming enterprise on a commercial basis.

Both the Foley households are busy ones.  Rob and Sandra have two children – Charlotte 15 months old and newborn James, and Will and Kirsten have Oliver who is 19 months old.  Both Sandra and Kirsten work part-time and Rob and Will are active members of the local Lions Club, NZ Road Transport Association and NZ Contracting Federation as well as being involved in other local sporting and church groups

The other finalists in the 2006 FMG Rural Excellence Award were:  Murray and Gina Taggart (mixed sheep and cropping farmers) OXFORD; Rosalie and Brian Hutton, (salmon farmers), TWIZEL; Eric and Gaye Lister, (alpaca farmers) PALMERSTON NORTH and Chris, Gaynor, Quentin, Eleanor, Jason and Jocelyn Miller, (sheep and beef farmers), INVERCARGILL.  The finalists all received the Royal Agricultural Society District Medal, a special trophy from FMG and $1,000 from Ravensdown Fertiliser.