Manawatu Dairy Industry Awards 2020 winners announced

Maegan and Terry Legg

While the remaining regional Dairy Industry Award evenings have been cancelled due to COVID-19, the hard-working award winners continue being announced. 

Taking the title of Manawatu Share Farmers of the Year, Maegan and Terry Legg reckon that the strength of their farming business lies in their passion for the dairy industry.

"We absolutely love our community," they say. "Our determination to succeed and be brilliant is at the basics of our business. The Leggs work together on farm and are a cohesive unit.

"We both cover each other perfectly on and off-farm," says Maegan. "Terry is always interested in completing the budgets and forecasts and I enjoy getting out on-farm and in the shed."

The couple were named the 2020 Manawatu Share Farmers of the Year at the region’s annual awards announced via video link on the region’s Facebook this week. Maegan (31) and Terry (35) currently 50/50 share-milk 320 cows on a 128ha Shannon property, owned by Spall Farms Ltd. They won $8225 in prizes and three merit awards.

Future farming goals include debt repayment and equity building with the long-term goal of purchasing some land and becoming lease farmers.

"We love the life we live and want to continue to grow great kids, great cows and great grass."

Other major winners were Paul Mercer, named the 2020 Manawatu Dairy Manager of the Year, and David Reesby, named the 2020 Manawatu Dairy Trainee of the Year. The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and Westpac along with industry partners DairyNZ and Primary ITO.