Brief history

The Waikato Conservation Board and Environment Waikato collaborated to run the first Farm Environment Award in 1993.

Award-related activities (such as BFEA field days and distribution of NZFEA Trust publications) and publicity surrounding award winners have made a significant contribution to the profile of sustainable farm management in the New Zealand. The award has also forged a strong and productive working relationship between farmers, local government and industry.

Out of this idea, and with the backing of Ballance Agri-Nutrients the Ballance Farm Environment Awards were born to take the message to the rest of the country. The Ballance Farm Environment Award was born and now runs in Waikato, Wellington, Southland, Canterbury, Bay of Plenty, Horizons, Northland and Otago.

The New Zealand Farm Environment Award Trust was established in 2004. The Trust's core business is promote sustainable environmental management of land, one of the ways it does this is to run the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. It is still responsible for this but also has a broader role in ensuring any events or awards run under the NZFEA banner stay true to the original idea.

For more information on the NZFEA Trust’s values click here