Steak of Origin
Every year the search is on for New Zealand’s tastiest and most tender sirloin steak, in B+LNZ’s Steak of Origin challenge. Beef farmers, retailers, wholesalers and foodservice companies can enter.
The competition involves an initial assessment of the sirloin at Lincoln University. Each steak is aged before it is tested for tenderness, percentage marbling, pH and percentage cooking loss. This narrows the field down to the semi-finalist steaks which are cooked and tasted by a panel of judges. Top chefs and celebrities then choose the best steak from the finalists in four classes at the Beef Expo, held in Feilding in May.
For more information on the competition, including this year's winners, see the Beef + Lamb New Zealand consumer website.
Golden Lamb Awards
This annual competition, nicknamed the Glammies, aims to find the most tender and tasty lamb in New Zealand.
Entrants select their best 25-50 lambs for processing. Legs are then removed and analysed at Lincoln University for tenderness and yield. The finalists' products are tasted by a panel of judges which includes chefs, celebrities and industry personnel.
For more information on the competition, including this year's winners, see the Beef + Lamb New Zealand consumer website.
Ahuwhenua Trophy
The Ahuwhenua Trophy is the premier award for Māori in agriculture. It acknowledges and celebrates business excellence in the New Zealand pastoral sector and is open to Māori farming properties either owned individually, or managed by Māori Trusts and Incorporations in New Zealand.
Each year it alternates between beef and sheep farms and dairy farms.
Ahuwhenua management committee chair Kingi Smiler says the competition highlights the sophistication of an increasing number of highly successful Maori owned agribusinesses. "At the heart of their success is the priority they put on environmental and cultural concerns. They know that as the current caretakers of their land they are responsible for ensuring this precious resource is available to future generations to provide for themselves and their families and to contribute to the wealth and prosperity of the whole country."
For more information and this year's winners, see the Ahuwhenua Trophy website.
World Young Shepherds Challenge
In 2011 Beef + Lamb New Zealand hosted the first ever World Young Shepherds Challenge, an international competition and educational event for young shepherds aged 18-25.
A pentathlon of activities was designed to test the shepherding skills of participants from 11 countries. They were judged on things like sorting sheep, handling and crutching techniques and shearing, as well as being quizzed on flock management and health issues.
The visitors also gained exciting new insights into the industry through tours of meat and wool processors, visits to sheep farms and Lincoln University, and a field day at Caberfeidh high country station.
Read more.
Ballance Farm Environment Awards
Beef + Lamb New Zealand is proud to sponsor these annual farm environment awards as part of our commitment to sustainable farming that develops practical solutions to support farm business goals, as well as caring for the environment.
We sponsor the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award - a special category award recognising livestock farmers (other than dairy) who demonstrate in a practical way the choices they have made to farm for the long term.
Judges consider the wise use of land, labour and capital resource available or created. Stock are well cared for, with class and type well suited to the land contour and soil type and appropriately managed to suit those soils.
For more information on the competition, including how to enter, see the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust website.
Sheep Industry Awards
Beef + Lamb New Zealand has a new event to recognise and reward the country's top performing sheep farmers, breeders and industry innovators - and in doing so, champion the significant contribution the industry makes to the New Zealand economy.
Pilot awards will take place in August 2012, with categories covering genetics, production and business innovation. The top breeders will be drawn from the Sheep Improvement Ltd SIL database and another three industry awards will be made to individuals or businesses nominated by a panel of sheep industry experts.
Read more.