FMG News

Rural Excellence Award Winners 2006

The FMG Rural Excellence Award, run in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural Society and commemorating the life of A.C. Cameron, recognises excellence in farming. 

Rob, Sandra, Will & Kirsten Foley scored well in all areas of the FMG Rural Excellence Award, however their ability to maximize farm production and profits was realized when they were announced as the 2006 Award winners.  At a dinner function recently in Palmerston North the Foleys’ were presented with a $7000 travel prize sponsored by FMG, along with the prestigious Royal Agricultural Society’s gold medal and life membership.

National convenor of the competition, Mr Richard Lemon, said this year’s competition was another closely contested final. “This Award has always been about the very best of farmers and this year was no different.  The finalists were all of a very high quality and running extremely good operations.  The judges had their work cut out to decide an overall winner.”

The competition was judged across 18 categories including production, profitability, planning, innovation, farm presentation as well as industry and community involvement. This year more emphasis was placed on ‘sustainable production and profitability’ and ‘leadership – both within the industry and community’.  While all five finalists ran extremely successful farming operations; judges, John Butchard and Sam Robinson were impressed with the Foleys’ overall ability and skills, and it is no surprise the Foleys’ were the leading point scorers in the area of sustainable production and profitability.  The judges also commented on the Foleys ability to build key relationships with staff, suppliers, and customers, as well as maintaining active roles in the community.

Rob and Will Foley run a breeding and finishing unit in Hawkes Bay with a total land area of 1,254 hectares of which 1,130 hectares is effective.  The land farmed includes a hill country-breeding unit and finishing blocks at Takapau.

Significant development has occurred over the last five years since Rob and Will took over the responsibility for the management of the farming operation from their parents. The hill block has been subdivided with 24 paddocks becoming 120 paddocks.  Intensive subdivision has also occurred on the Takapau properties.  Extensive water supply development to complement the subdivision, has also occurred.  Where necessary, new sheep and cattle yards have been constructed (or reconfigured) and a new 4-stand woolshed was built on the hill block in 2004.

In addition to the farming enterprise, the Foley brothers operate a contracting business of significant scale.  Rob Foley manages the contracting business, which supplies services to several customers including their own farming enterprise on a commercial basis.

The other finalists in the 2006 FMG Rural Excellence Award were:  Murray and Gina Taggart (mixed sheep and cropping farmers) OXFORD; Rosalie and Brian Hutton, (salmon farmers), TWIZEL; Eric and Gaye Lister, (alpaca farmers) PALMERSTON NORTH and Chris, Gaynor, Quentin, Eleanor, Jason and Jocelyn Miller, (sheep and beef farmers), INVERCARGILL.  The finalists all received the Royal Agricultural Society District Medal, a special trophy from FMG and $1,000 from Ravensdown Fertiliser.

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For further information contact:

Debbie Cameron, Royal Agricultural Society. 

Telephone:  (03) 313 6945