24 | Planning, hard work bring award success Kim Newth In their rst shot at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment awards, Amy and Victor Blaikie of Ben Annand Farm impressed the judges to win the region’s 2022 Agri-Business Management Award in June. The judges panel, which visited the couple’s South Otago hill country farm, noted that improved pastures, infrastructure development and increased production were a testament to their hard work and dedication. Comprehensive planning to effectively manage the farm, its challenging environment, and health and safety had helped create an effective business that was meeting its goals. “Decisions are well thought out, recognising risks and challenges as they strive to improve production, water care, and pasture management,” the judges observed in their commendation report. MEAT & WOOL » Ben Annand Farm Covering Otago & Southland 0800 227 226 www.advance-agriculture.co.nz Proud to support Ben Annand Farm Specialist Suppliers of Agricultural Chemical, Seed, Spray Equipment & GPS Precision Ag • Rural Carriers • Stock Cartage • Fertiliser Spreading & Cartage • Ballance & Ravensdown Stores • Sawdust & Bark Supplies • Gravel, Rock, Lane Maintenance • Coal, Compost Supplies 1 RD, Wyndham • Titiroa ph 03 246 9726 • Wyndham ph 03 206 4500 Amy, who spent two and a half years studying for a Diploma of Agribusiness through the Southern Institute of Technology, says learning more about farm business planning had proved very worthwhile. “Being able to relate what I was learning to the farm made it so relevant, practical and useful. The topics we covered included business planning, nance, environmental sustainability, human resources, and health, safety and well-being. Then we had to pull all of that together into a nal report. I was able to take a lot out of that for our own business planning and nance.” Ben Annand Farm, which has been in the Blaikie family since 1960, started out as bare tussock country. Victor’s father Keith worked tirelessly over his lifetime to establish the pasture, farm buildings, lanes and fences. • to page 26 Ben Annand Farm’s Amy and Victor Blaikie. Sewage and wastewater treatment systems specifically designed for New Zealand conditions. NaturalFlow • BioRock • Graf • Rainwater Harvesting www.activeflow.co.nz 03 323 8541 hello@activeflow.co.nz
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