Grant Anderson was awarded the New Zealand Groundspread Fertilisers Association Ballance Agri-Nutrients’ president’s award
He is in his second year as the association’s vice-president plus is its health and safety representative.
Association executive officer Melanie Dingle said he "earned the award for his leadership and mentoring skills as well as his advocacy for the industry standard, Spreadmark, and his commitment to growing the industry professionally, while augmenting health and safety practices".
Mr Anderson has been with the company for 20 years, 18 of those as its dispatch manager.
"Two awards for the company is quite cool. I was nominated and went up against a few other people and the judges decided that I was the better person for that category. It was rewarding," he said.
Ballance’s lower South Island regional distribution manager Jeremy Begg visited the Nightcaps office to present him with the award earlier this month.
He is a representative to the Fertiliser Quality Council, a role he had held for less than a week.
His job as dispatch manager could be hectic at times.
"I organise eight ground spreaders every day and things can get pretty busy," Mr Anderson said.
When Matthew Blomfield was at school, he had no idea driving trucks could be a career choice.
Now 21, Mr Blomfield has won a top industry accolade, the 2020 New Zealand Groundspread Fertilisers Association’s Ravensdown-sponsored Young Achiever’s Award.
Mr Blomfield has been a bulkie driver for Transport Services Ltd, Nightcaps, since leaving school about three years ago.
"I was pretty stoked when I heard about the award," he said.
He was nominated by Mr Anderson who described him as a "talented young guy".
Association executive officer Melanie Dingle said Mr Blomfield received the award for his "respect of the environment as well as his passion for farming, his profession and his ability to engage effectively with his customers.
"Matthew’s advocacy for ground-spreading has led him to attend careers events and youth groups, where he has been transparent about his love of agriculture and his job and encouraging of others to join the industry."
During the winter, the company spreads grit on Southland’s roads, which means early starts for him, but during the rest of the year he spreads fertilisers on farms throughout the region.
He has to ensure the spread rate is accurate and in line with the farmers’ requirements, as well as driving to the conditions.
"You have got to weigh the fertiliser and use common sense near waterways.
"I wanted to join the military when I was at school but developed a nut allergy the last year.
"You are not allowed in the military with allergies, so I went to a Southern Institute of Technology for a heavy vehicle course to get my licences including for driving forklifts, dangerous goods and wheels, tracks and rollers, and then Grant called me up and offered me a job."
Mr Blomfield, who lives on his parents’ Michael and Karen’s 300ha, 800-cow dairy farm at Opio, enjoys driving the large and powerful vehicles as well as working in different areas and meeting people.
"In the future I would like to go to Australia and drive their road trains, or maybe stock trucks in New Zealand."
He would like to see the industry promote truck driving more, as there is a shortage of drivers.
"I was never told that truck driving was a career option."
He was keen to attend more industry training courses to further develop his skills, he said.
