Locals win environment awards

Mt Somers farmers Mike and Nicky Salvesen, of Wakare, and Richard and Chrissie Wright, of Tamara Farm have won awards at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Mike and Nicky Salvensen won the Environment Canterbury Water Quality Award and the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award.

And Richard and Chrissie Wright won the Norwood Agri-Business Management Award.

The Ballance Farm Environment Awards champion sustainable farming and growing through their awards programme which sees one Regional Supreme Winner selected from each of the 11 regions involved. That title went to Tony Coltman and Dana Carver of Canlac Holdings at Dunsandel.

They also won the Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award, DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award, Synlait Climate Stewardship Award and the WaterForce Wise with Water Award.

The couple and their farm will be profiled at the Awards’ National Sustainability Showcase in Wellington on June 4, and go up against other regional finalists for the Gordon Stephenson Trophy.

In deciding the competition, judges said the Salvensen’s progressive vision for the future was guiding their Canterbury beef and deer farm, allowing it to adapt to changing conditions and reduce its environmental footprint.

Their main block runs calving cows and breeding bulls for dairy herds, deer for venison production and around 1,000 lambs. Genetic measurements are tracked as the business strives to continually improve the quality of the animals.

A second block runs dairy grazers and Wagyu beef, providing capital protection and forming part of the succession planning.

Numerous improvements have been made to the property in terms of both production and protecting the environment including a significant tree-planting programme.

All activities were guided by an acute awareness of how it could affect the local and wider environment.

On the Wright’s farm, judges said scale was no barrier and attention to detail paramount in a property which had grown considerably since purchased in 2002.

The farm was self-contained in terms of stock replacements and grazing, ensuring a profitable and productive business with very healthy animals. The hands-on managers passionate about farming and proud of their team members actively advancing them into farming.

A significant number of trees had been planted on the property, including shelter belts, ornamental and native plantings. The farm has responsible grazing practices and crop rotation, a focus on energy efficiency and technology, and excellent management of nutrients.

The business is an inspiring example of a family committed to advancing good people into farming and providing options for family succession.