The champions of the Hawke’s Bay primary sector were announced and celebrated for their outstanding success at a sell-out awards function for 450 people at the Showgrounds Hawke’s Bay Tomoana last night. The 2019 Napier Port Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Awards are organised by the Hawke’s Bay A & P Society. General Manager, Sally Jackson stated, “We are so proud of these awards. They are long established and contribute significantly to the primary industry across the region.” She added “This year marks the 47th year of the Silver Fern Farms Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year award and entrants across all categories have represented some of the finest and most innovative, industrious primary producers in the country and produce some of the highest quality food and fibre to be found anywhere in the world.” New categories for the 2019 awards included the Horticentre Trust Hawke’s Bay Horticulturalist of the Year and Rural Directions Hawke’s Bay Shepherd of the Year. The 2019 winners are:
- Silver Fern Farms Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year – Jason Daly and Louise Harvey
- Horticentre Trust Hawke’s Bay Horticulturalist of the Year – Leon and Robyn Stallard
- Pan Pac Hawke’s Bay Farm Forester of the Year – Graeme and Neil Fontaine
- Hastings District Council Primary Sector Industry Leader of the Year – Renata Apatu
- Unison Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Professional of the Year – Mark Harris
- BWR Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Innovation Award – Metris
- Lawson Robinson Hawke’s Bay Scholarship – Geoffrey Berntsen
- Laurie Dowling Memorial Award – Lon Anderson
- Rural Directions Hawke’s Bay Shepherd of the Year – To be announced at the Silver Fern Farms Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year Field Day
Chair of the Napier Port Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Awards Pete Tod said “Once a year Hawke’s Bay gets the opportunity to recognise those who have made an outstanding contribution as leaders in their field. He stated “Our 2019 winners are all are achieving incredible heights within the sector, not only within Hawke’s Bay but throughout the country. They are at the pinnacle of their operations and they all have made a real difference to the industry”. Posted: 29 March 2019