June 09, 2013
Tarawera Station tops Ahuwhenua award
Turning a tough hill country farm with pumice soils into a productive enterprise has won Te Awahohonu Forest Trust this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy for Māori farming excellence.
The trust runs nearly 30,000 stock units on its 2600 hectare Tarawera Station off the Napier-Taupo road, including more than 16,000 ewes and 1000 breeding cows.
Its 1150 shareholders benefit from cash dividends, marae grants and educational scholarships, and there is an assistant trustee programme to train up the next generation of leaders.
Its chair, Tamihana Nuku, says good governance was vital to its success.
As well as receiving the historic Ahuwhenua Trophy, Te Awahohonu Forest Trust will get up to $40,000 in cash and farm-related products and services.
The Young Māori Farmer Award was won by Jordan Smith, a shepherd working on the Kearins Bros Limited farm in Te Kuiti.
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