From farming with KMR to award winners

The environmental efforts of some Kaipara Moana Remediation farmers have resulted in accolades at the recent Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Auckland and Northland.

KMR’s Acting Pou Tātaki Emma Doré says just making the finals of the awards is commendable.

“The fact some of our farmers won awards really is the icing on the cake and the KMR team congratulates them for their dedication and efforts,” says Doré.

“We see how much these landowners care for their land and the environment and we love working alongside them to put fencing and planting plans in place that will help reduce sedimentation washing into the Kaipara Moana over time. That journey starts with people acting now.”

The success comes just weeks after KMR’s environmental efforts were recognised in The Aotearoa Circle’s recently launched Natural Infrastructure Plan.

Among the winners in the Northland Ballance Farm Environment Awards were Dargaville kūmara, sheep and beef operators James and Krista Franklin from Ā Mua Ltd.

They were winners of the Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award, FMG Risk Management Award and Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award.

The judges said the couple’s farming philosophy aligns with national efforts to enhance food safety, meet evolving market expectations, and protect New Zealand’s natural resources.

The Franklin’s were praised for their outstanding leadership and unwavering growth mindset. Judges added that James and Krista’s ability to continuously improve, invest in their staff, and rebuild with vision after a major crisis (the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle) sets a strong benchmark for the wider farming community.

The property’s diversification has included retiring wetland areas which is bolstering native habitat for species including the nationally endangered Bittern, safeguarding soil and water quality, while promoting biodiversity within the growing systems. The couple is participating in the Lighter Touch programme and embracing agro-ecological crop protection strategies.

The Franklin’s say they are grateful and humbled by the accolades.

“We stood alongside some inspiring finalists on the awards night, so we were shocked to come away with three awards. It is surreal,” the couple say.

The awards have lifted their motivation even higher in their drive to reach their farming goals, which underwent a massive reset after the damage Cyclone Gabrielle did to their operation in 2023.

“There are some well-educated business people in the rural sector and you tend to think you are just farmers when you are on the land. But as a farmer you are everything – there are a lot of hats to wear and roles to play. We are feeling immensely proud and we are grateful to the judges for their extensive input and feedback, along with the wider farming community.”

West Auckland sheep and beef farmers Johnny and Michelle Hildreth, who run their 205-hectare Woodhill sheep and beef unit with son Jordan, were finalists in the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards – taking out Auckland Council Water Quality Enhancement Award.

Judges praised the KMR champions for their low-input philosophy, paired with an extensive environmental commitment. Almost 100,000 native plants have been planted, transforming about a quarter of the block into protected habitat – some under permanent covenant.

The Hildreth’s are guided by a farming philosophy that prioritises family life and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Combining this with a sound succession plan is setting the farm up to be a profitable legacy for generations to come.

“We are incredibly grateful to receive this award. As a family we have been working for some years now to set the scene for what is to come. Nibbling away at fencing and planting gets the ball rolling and we would love to see all our river planted to protect our waterways to help the Kaipara Harbour,” say the Hildreth’s.

“As farmers, if you can get this sort of activity up your priority list for spending money and afford it, just do it.

Michelle, Johnny and Jordan say they are stoked with the results of the KMR programme and are looking forward to doing more work together.

Maungakaramea duo Murray Child and Dean Child received the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award for maintaining a sustainable balance between production and preservation.

Judges also noted the family is guided by a philosophy of being steady, grounded, and deeply connected to the land, praising the approach which has resulted in traditional livestock farming being done exceptionally well – with consistently high results.

Their dedication to the land means they are admirable ambassadors for sustainable farming and look set to ensure the farm continues to thrive into the future, added the judges.

The Childs were pleasantly surprised to be on the winning podium.

The trio are passionate about farming environmentally because they believe it is in the interests of farm landowners to look after the land.

“This is our business, our livelihood and our home, so it is in our interests to leave it in a better state than when we took it on,” say Murray and Dean.

86ha of the family’s 400-hectare Maungakaramea sheep and beef unit – which sits at the foot of the mighty Tangihua Ranges – is fenced off to protect waterways and mature native forest and Murray doesn’t rule out doing more.

KMR’s impact across the Kaipara catchment over the past few years has been substantial, with 2.97 million native plants in the ground or contracted to plant in the winter of 2026, more than 1,800-hectares of land planted or planned, over 1,100km of fencing completed or underway and 1,51,000ha of land managed under KMR plans.

More than 1,500 landowners have engaged with KMR and 975 sediment reduction plans have been completed with 168 more plans currently being developed. In fact, more than half of the catchment’s pastoral landowners are now involved in the KMR programme.

Doré believes the efforts and support from KMR’s Field Advisors, funders, partners and landowners as key to the success of the KMR kaupapa.