Get Your Entries In For NZ's First Gaia Awards

Get Your Entries In For NZ's First Gaia Awards

Over recent months, the debate on water quality has reached boiling point with reports and commentary from prominent figures such as Dr Jan Wright Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Sir David Skegg President of the Royal Society of New Zealand and Dame Anne Salmond calling for a shift in farming practices.

Fortunately, there are a growing number of producers bucking a trend of declining water quality and profitability through a focus on soil health. The Association of Biological Farmers (ABF) are hosting NZ’s first Green Agriculture Innovation Awards (GAIA) this August in recognition of these timely innovations. Entries for the Awards are closing soon! ABF wants to congratulate and celebrate not only the farmers and growers but also consultants and bio-fertiliser companies that, at a mushrooming pace, are changing the face of food production in New Zealand.

Over the last 5-10 years, a growing number of passionate and knowledgeable New Zealanders and international specialists have and are providing education to support NZ farmers in achieving environmental and economic goals. In turn, farmers and growers are demanding more and more 'biological soil knowledge' and they are getting it. Over 135 bio-fert companies share their knowledge and success stories with farmers and growers every working day and are doing so on an increasingly national scale. A key objective for offering this award is to acknowledge that there is success already for both NZ's environmental and economic betterment. Yes, the good news is we can have both!

With support from AGMARDT, Dr Christine Jones the key GAIA judge and speaker will be joining us from Australia. AGMARDT is an independent not-for-profit Trust with a vision to catalyse and enable compelling innovation and leadership from primary producers in New Zealand.

There are a number of awards to showcase success with 10 categories including the overall Supreme Award being sponsored by Healthy Soils; AgriSea Dairy, BioAg Pastoral, Viafos Youth, Innovation, Rotorua District Council Maori Producer, Transition, Horticulture, BioSea Viticulture, Paddock to Plate and Integrity Soils Biological Consultant of the Year.

Entries close on Wednesday 7th May 2014 and entry forms can be downloaded at www.biologicalfarmers.co.nz or you can contact the Association of Biological Farmers NZ: ccods@hotmail.com

Dinner award celebrations will follow field days on the 6th and 8th August in Rotorua and Christchurch respectively. Tables of ten are available and contact ABF for tickets.

Biological soil management is the right direction for NZ agriculture. It is a fundamental part of the solution of 'cleaning up our act and our waterways’. These Green Agriculture Innovation Awards 2014 shall be a historical event for NZ. We are celebrating and giving recognition to farmers and growers who use biological soil management practices and who are already providing positive outcomes for the environment and the economy. Pinch yourselves... go on, - as a society - we can have both.

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