Judging criteria

Once an entry form is received and after the closing date of the Award, a team of judges will visit your property at a time suitable to you, where you will have the opportunity to showcase your knowledge and accomplishments and ask questions.

The judges perform a peer review of the whole farming system looking at the management choices you have made to suit your individual property. They will want to see how you are managing your land to meet production goals. Judging is in no way based on a pass or fail situation.

To ensure entrants gain maximum value from participating, the review encourages you to discuss goals, achievements and future plans with the judging team.  

The type of questions they may ask and topic areas considered include:

• Are different land types matched to appropriate stock, crops, or protective uses?
• Are you making the most of your available capital and/or discretionary spending to help meet your farm, environmental and personal objectives?
• Management of waterways and water use
• Is energy efficiency considered in decisions about irrigation, running machinery, crop storage?
• Soil health
• Are the farmers planning for the future when making decisions?
• How well does the farm provide for the family, contractors and employees and the local community?
• Is control carried out for browsing pests i.e. feral deer, ferrets, possums, goats?
• Other areas considered are effluent management and waste disposal, nutrient management, weed and pest management, animal husbandry, planning for the use of chemicals, and future projects.