| 15 ARABLE » Birkett Farming Arable industry ‘under recognised’ Richard Loader The 2022 New Zealand Arable awards held at the newly built Te Pae Christchurch convention Centre, provided an opportunity to celebrate the innovators and heroes of New Zealand’s arable industry, and showcase the sector as a key contributor to the wider agricultural community. One of those innovators was Mid-Canterbury farmer, David Birkett, who was honoured as ‘Arable Farmer of the Year’. “You try and farm well, and I do a fair bit for the industry as well, but I felt humbled to be nominated, let alone to have won,” says David. “The other two finalists in the category were exceptional as well. When you see the other finalists, you understand how important the sector is. My wife, Justine, joined me on the night, supporting me, once again. Justine’s a very important part of the business, and it was really special to have her there.” David believes his success came down to two main reasons, the first being that he and Justine farm in a slightly different way. “We farm as sustainably as we can, using the five key principles of re-gen ag, while integrating those principles into our standard system using ag chem fertilisers etcetera. “The second reason reflected some of the work that I’ve done across the industry over the years. I was chair of Foundation of Arable Research for seven years, Federated Farmers Vice Chair for seeds in the arable section, and inaugural chair for the Seed Industry Research Centre. At a local level we have a twenty year old catchment group that I helped set up, and I’m involved in the local re-gen ag group.” Since winning the award, David has been kept busy fitting interviews and articles into his day job, reflecting an increased interest in what arable farmers do. “That was what the awards were for, getting the arable industry out there a bit more. You know; what do we do, what seeds do we produce for different Mid-Canterbury farmer David Birkett, who farms as sustainably as he can, has been honoured as ‘Arable Farmer of the Year’. areas and our role in domestic agriculture? I’m passionate about the land from an environmental point of view, but also the arable industry. I think it’s under recognised, but has some incredible people in it. I just want to help it as much as I can.” David and Justine farm 200 hectares of fully irrigated land on the Canterbury Plains near the township of Leeston, between the Rakaia and Wamakarairi Rivers. Over the years the Birkett’s focus has shifted from being commodity farmers growing standard crops like peas, wheat and barley to a much more diverse range of crops including herbage, rye grasses and clovers and vegetable seeds. Much of their market is overseas based with multiplications of grass, clover, radish, seeds going back to the Northern Hemisphere. Grasses and clovers also go into the domestic market for the pastoral industry and wheat is grown for the beer brewing industry. Peas and beans are grown under contract for Wattie’s, as well as grown for seed. Reflecting on the importance of the sector to New Zealand Inc. David says when you look at the food on your plate, it probably started its journey on an arable farm at some point. “When you follow the lifecycle back you end up starting on an arable farm. We’re a pretty integrated agricultural industry and without each other none off it would work.” P SRS 03 302 8115 email: nzoffice@spsnz.co.nz Proud to be working with Birkett Family Farms SOUTH PACIFIC SEEDS (NZ) LTD Specialists in Hybrid Vegetable Seed Production Outstanding success removing weeds, seeds such as dock, field madder, and fathen • Concrete • Fertiliser Spreading - Farm Mapping - GPS Tracking - Variable Rate Spreading • Livestock Cartage • Grain Cartage • Shingle Supplies • Daily Freight Leeston: 03 3248 070 Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz
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