Southland innovators honoured with national awards
Judges said the Drysdales had the courage to review their traditional arable and beef production systems and step into the world of hemp growing, processing, manufacturing, and distribution.
Third-generation Balfour farmers Blair and Jody Drysdale have been recognised for their innovation at the 2023 Arable Awards of New Zealand.
The Drysdales, of Hopefield Hemp, claimed the Innovation title at the awards evening on Thursday night at Christchurch Airforce Museum in front of an arable sector audience of more than 600.
Judges said the Drysdales from northern Southland, had the courage to review their traditional arable and beef production systems and step into the world of hemp growing, processing, manufacturing, and marketing.
From early days when they would process hemp hand and body cream in a kitchen cake mixer, they’ve steadily upped production to now encompass a full range of hemp oils, balms and health capsules.
That wasn’t the sole Southland success story highlighted on the night.
Rob and Toni Auld claimed the Arable Food Champion Award.
It was nearly 20 years ago that the Aulds decided to look beyond traditional farm income streams to start making a range of whiskys, gins and other spirits from the wheat, oats and barley grown on their Southland farm.
Auld Farm Distillery, last year’s Innovation Award winners, is now the third-largest whisky producer in New Zealand.
Federated Farmers Arable Chair David Birkett noted, that turnout to the awards is not far short of double the ticket sales of the inaugural event last year and is testament to the good spirit and progressiveness in the sector, and eagerness to "celebrate our best and brightest".
There should be a group of innovative and successful farmers like these who meet once a month with the regional council staff to discuss changes and policies the council is thinking about implementing. Bit like the house of Lords in the UK. That would give farmers the feeling their voices are being heard and a group of their peers is that voice. Councils tend to focus on the worst farming practices and then apply rules on everyone no matter how good they are. Celebrate success stories like this and turn from a navel gazing culture to an aspirational culture.