The Wi Pere Trust, a large sheep and beef farming operation at Te Karaka near Gisborne, was awarded the 2022 Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori sheep and beef farm.
Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor made the announcement at the Ahuwhenua Trophy awards dinner in Hawke’s Bay. He said Māori account for 25% of the production of sheep beef and wool in New Zealand, and have brought a highly professional approach to their farming operations.
He encouraged everyone to go along to Ahuwhenua Trophy field days to better understand the complexity of the farms and passion of the farmers.
Trudy Meredith of Wi Pere Trust said winning the Ahuwhenua Trophy was absolutely amazing – especially given this was the first time they had entered the competition.
She said winning the competition will make people recognise the excellence that Wi Pere Trust strives for and the high standard of its operations, and how as a trust it looks after people.
“It’s not all about profit – and although it does help, it’s not the be all. This has also set the bar for the next lot of trustees,” she said.
Nukuhia Hadfield, chair of the Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee, said the farms of all of the finalists were impressive and the judges had their work cut out for them to come up with a winner. She said despite a challenging year, all of the finalist field days were excellent and each organisation is a great role model for farmers.
She said Wi Pere Trust is a very worthy winner “and for those of us who took the opportunity to attend their field day will see why. Wi Pere Trust runs an outstanding farming operation and measures up well in all the other criteria that are part of the judging process.”
Hadfield said the competition has once again demonstrated the strength and excellence of Māori farming.
The other finalists were Onuku Māori Lands Trust near Rotorua, and Hereheretau Station located in Whakakī, Wairoa.
