The 2012 National Bank Young Farmer Contest was officially launched by Mayor Dave Cull at a function in Dunedin on Friday.
The contest's grand final will be held in the city in May, with the agri-growth and agri-business challenges at AgResearch Invermay, the agri-skills challenges and agrisports at Forsyth Barr Stadium and the televised evening show at the Edgar Centre.
Mr Cull described it as a "hugely important" contest and said Dunedin was "absolutely delighted" to be hosting the grand final.
The competition was extremely demanding and he expressed admiration for those who entered it, along with for those who organised it.
Now in its 44th year, it had grown enormously since first being held in a small hall at the former Lincoln College.
The 2010 contest champion, Will Grayling, who represented the Aorangi region, described the contest as unrivalled in New Zealand, "and probably around the world".
New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Richard Fitzgerald said the Young Farmers organisation had been on an exciting journey in recent years.
After major restructuring in 2006, it had changed significantly and membership had grown a staggering 700%.