Top farmers for 2008 take a bow
Nigel Kerin’s commitment to improving the environmental health of his mixed Merino sheep, cattle and cropping operation at Yeoval has earned him the NSW Farmer of the Year award for 2008.
Nigel and his wife Kate’s use of holistic management tools such as cell grazing, pasture cropping and small paddock structure has resulted in significant productivity gains in spite of tough drought conditions.
Nigel’s ability to adapt from a traditional form of farming to a more regenerative approach is a great story to share with others in the industry.
In addition to his environment initiatives, Nigel and his family adopt breeding principles with their merino sheep which have led to the production of high quality wrinkle free sheep that require less labour effort and no mulesing. His management shift now includes a strong focus on running the farm as a business, working with a board of other farmers, and as a result he and his family have been able to remain extremely productive - despite drought.
Tally Matthews, a vegetable and turf producer from Ebenezer in the Sydney basin, won the NSW Young Farmer of the Year award, at this week’s award event in Sydney.
Tally, who also works as an agronomist, was recognised as an outstanding young leader across a range of farming enterprises, with a strong commitment to supporting others in the industry.
"Tally is an excellent example of what our young farmers are able to achieve today through gaining experience in a range of industries which helps them better cope with financial pressures," NSW Farmers’ Association President Jock Laurie said.
"He is working hard to achieve his goals of acquiring farming land and remaining profitable in spite of pricing pressures in the vegetable industry and drought conditions," Mr Laurie said.
Judges in this year’s awards, the fifth to be held in NSW, paid tribute to the three finalists who also demonstrated outstanding achievement in their farming operations, including:
- Kim and Stephen Roberts (Farmer of the Year), who run a small piggery ‘Bundawarrah Free Range Pork’ and produce saltbush lamb, with established markets in Sydney, Canberra and the south coast;
- Chris Mirams (Farmer of the Year), who together with wife Jacinta manages ‘Woomargama Station’ near Holbrook with a sheep, cattle and grass production and is heavily involved in Evergraze and Landcare; and
- Ben Watts (Young Farmer of the Year) who with wife Fiona operates a sheep breeding operation near Molong, marketing their product as non mulesed EU-Eco label. Ben successfully led Australia’s bid to host the 2010 World Sheep and Wool Congress.
"This year’s finalists have impressive stories to tell about innovative ways to approach challenges like climate change, consumer demands and product marketing," judging panel Chair, Marie Russell, said.
"We look forward to working with our winners and finalists this year to promote the achievements in environment management and new farming practises that are happening [in] NSW." The finalists were selected for their ability to demonstrate innovation, marketing and risk management skills, as well as involvement in industry groups and their local communities.
Nigel Kerin was awarded $10,000, while Tally Matthews takes home $5000, and the finalists $1000 each, following the presentation at the NSW Farmers’ Association annual conference dinner.
The annual awards are co-ordinated by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and NSW Farmers Association, and are supported by The Land and the Royal Agricultural Society.