Wairarapa Moana ki Pouākani Incorporation (WMI) was awarded the Ahuwhenua Trophy for Excellence in Māori Dairy Farming on Friday at the Globox Arena in Hamilton, with 850 guests in attendance at the event. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up, Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, at an awards dinner which was also attended by Kīngi Tūheitia, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani is a strong example of Māori dairy farming excellence. It’s about building economic benefits while ensuring kaitiakitanga - nurturing their whenua for future generations and inspiring others,” Minister Potaka commented.  

The Ahuwhenua Trophy, the most prestigious award in Māori farming, acknowledges and celebrates business excellence in New Zealand’s important pastoral and horticultural sectors. PGG Wrightson is proud to have sponsored the award for more than 15 years, joining Māori farmers and growers in celebrating improved farming practices and role modelling excellence in farming to future generations. 

Māori businesses in the primary sector are going from strength to strength. Statistics NZ data from September 2022 to September 2023, showed the total value of sales in this part of the sector increased by $99 million, up by a third. 

Wairarapa Moana ki Pouākani Incorporation (WMI) 

WMI comprises of 12 dairy units, three dairy support units and two forestry blocks, however they entered just one farm in the Ahuwhenua awards – Farm 4, managed by Kim Turner. Farm 4 has a milking platform of 300ha, with 980 cows producing 416,000 kgMS. The whole WMI dairy operation produces about five million kilograms of milk solids from their 12,000-cow herd, supplying milk to Miraka Ltd. From the Ahuwhenua Trophy website; “The farm operates within the top 5% of the industry benchmarks and operates a high care, high efficiency model where its environmental footprint has reduced by 30% and this work is supported by applying the Mauri Compass Model on improving water quality.” 

Young Māori Farmer Award 2024 

Also awarded at the ceremony on Friday, Ben Purua (Tainui) was named the Young Māori Farmer Award 2024 winner. A previous finalist for the Young Māori Farmer award, Ben is the farm manager at Waimakariri Lands Ltd, which runs 540 cows near Tirau in Waikato. 

Farming has been transformative for the 29-year-old, who experienced considerable adversity in his upbringing in Pukekohe, including exposure to gang life, substance abuse and domestic violence, which eventually led to time in Waikeria Prison. 

It was at Waikeria working on the prison farms, however, that his passion for farming was ignited, ultimately culminating in this award. Ben now looks forward to creating pathways for other young struggling Māori to get into the same industry that helped him turn his life around.  

Ben Purua (centre) is photographed alongside the runners up for Young Māori Farmer Award 2024, Hannah Speakman (left) and Shayden Gardiner (right). 

Words From Our Iwi Relations Manager 

Matt Hill, Iwi Relations Manager, who attended the event says, “It was a fantastic awards night that truly showcased the professionalism and success that Māori have in the dairy sector. It was made even more special by having both finalists for the dairy awards as our customers. With Māori farming going from strength to strength, and massive growth coming in the Māori horticultural and agricultural sectors, it is now even more important that we stay connected and continue to tautoko (support) Māori farming to fulfil PGW’s position as kaitiaki (guardians) and rangatira (leaders) in the agricultural and horticultural spaces in Aotearoa”.  

“Ma te Kotahitanga, e whai kaha ai tātau” – In unity, we find strength. 

Learn more about the winning dairy farm operation and history on the Ahuwhenua Trophy website here.