Two New Zealand ag pioneers recognised in this year’s Syngenta Growth Awards
Some of the agriculture industry’s finest growers, advisers and innovators have been recognised as the latest winners of the Syngenta Growth Awards, after being announced at a gala dinner in Sydney last night.
Hamish Marr, a grain and livestock farmer from Methven, and David Manktelow, a horticultural scientist from Hawkes Bay were both crowned winners in the Community and People category.
The Growth Awards, launched nearly 10 years ago, shines a light on the amazing contribution and influence that growers, farm advisers and community leaders from across Australia and New Zealand have on the agricultural sector. Winners are drawn from one of the following categories: Productivity, Sustainability, Community & People, and Innovator. This year two individual Judges’ Choice awards were also presented, to recognise outstanding individual achievements.
Paul Luxton, Country Head and Managing Director Syngenta ANZ, says this year’s New Zealand winners represent the best of the best.
“We’ve had another exceptional cohort of nominations this year, and it was incredibly hard for our judges to narrow it down to our final national winners. The depth of experience of our winners, and each of their incredible contributions to not only their communities but the wider ag sector, is deserving of the accolades coming their way.
“The winners range from legendary pioneers in the sector, to first generation farmers paving the way for future generations. One thing they have in common is a passion for furthering the sustainability of the ag industry through their endeavours, which is more important than ever as we look at what the future of farming looks like,” Paul says.
The National Winners in each of the four categories will be offered the opportunity to attend an international study tour next year, and will also join the alumni of previous winners, who continue to connect, collaborate and add value to their local communities.
The Growth Awards support the goals of Syngenta’s four ambitious global sustainability commitments to reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint and help farmers deal with the extreme weather patterns caused by climate change.
The four commitments include accelerating Syngenta’s innovations to provide sustainable solutions for farmers, striving for carbon neutral agriculture both on farm and in Syngenta’s operations, developing strategic and impactful partnerships to achieve the ambitious targets, and lastly helping people stay safe and healthy by training eight million farm workers and striving for fair labour across Syngenta’s entire supply chain.
Meet the New Zealand winners
To find out more about the winners, head to www.syngenta.com.au/growth-awards-2022 where you can read about their backgrounds and where they see opportunity for Australian and New Zealand agriculture.
Community and people
This category recognises growers and advisers who make a leading contribution to their community, workers and fellow growers.
Hamish Marr
Grower, Marr Farms Ltd, Methven, New Zealand
“We need to be having conversations about agriculture and the network of the economy when we are at the supermarket, around the barbecue, or on the sidelines at sport.”
David Manktelow
Adviser, Applied Research and Technologies, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
“I think this is the most consequential decade that any of us will live through, in terms of change with production and the energy that is needed to drive production. I do see a really important future for high quality horticultural production, and production of grains and legumes. There are challenges and they are bigger than what we can afford to address ourselves, so we need to work together.”
ENDS
Learn more about this year’s Syngenta Growth Awards here – https://www.syngenta.com.au/growth-awards
For more information or for an interview, please contact:
Ms Jaelle Bajada
0438 396 154
jaelle.bajada@syngenta.com
