They were celebrated as the best and the brightest leaders in the industry with the introduction of the awards aimed at inspiring others in the sector, arable chairman Guy Wigley said.
Williams was named Biosecurity Farmer of the Year for her leadership and advocacy for farmers in the pea weevil biosecurity response, Wigley said.
“Alongside our Wairarapa provincial president Jamie Falloon, they were both influential components in the development of the response costs package for Wairarapa pea growers and staunch advocates for farmers and growers in the pea weevil response.”
Williams was an integral part of the grower group spending many hours working alongside farmers and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
“All of this voluntary and all to make a bad situation for growers better.
“Without Karen and Jamie’s hard work, tenacity and leadership we believe farmers and growers wouldn’t have got the right outcomes in the response,” Wigley said.
Those outcomes included good news for the industry nationwide with no pea weevils found outside Wairarapa.
“This inaugural award will hopefully inspire other arable farmers to look at ways and opportunities to improve their onfarm biosecurity and reporting of any unwanted pests, weeds or diseases.”
Falloon was honoured for his part when he received the award for outstanding advocacy at the Federated Farmers recent national conference.
Mid Canterbury cropping farmer Eric Watson was crowned Federated Farmers-Bayer Arable Farmer of the Year.
Watson was a Guinness World Record holder for producing the highest wheat yield of 16.791 tonnes a hectare, eclipsing the previous record of 16.519 tonnes.
He and wife Maxine are widely regarded for their innovative thinking and knowledge of overseas technologies they use to improve onfarm productivity.
“This is a fitting reward. Eric has contributed to research in the arable industry since the inception of the Foundation for Arable Research.
“He has hosted trials and other research plots on his farm over the past 20 years, which has translated into productivity lifts for the entire arable sector,” Wigley said.
“He is a quiet and unassuming leader. He lets his farm’s performance do the talking.
“This award recognises his current achievements and ongoing leadership in our industry.”
Scott Hanson of Bayer said leaders like Watson in the industry promoted New Zealand all over the world.
“His recent achievement of gaining the wheat world record certainly has helped put us on the world stage.
Federated Farmers looked forward to the awards becoming a much anticipated part of the industry conference in years to come.
“Success in the arable industry typically flies under the radar compared to other agri-sectors in NZ.
“It is long overdue that we recognise the outstanding contribution arable farmers make to the industry and the country in general,” Wigley said.
