Southland
A Southland farming couple has claimed top honours at New Zealand's premier dairy industry awards, taking home more than $28,000 in prizes and cementing their reputation as leaders in the sector.
Scott and Stacey Mackereth from the Southland/Otago region were named 2026 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year at a ceremony in Rotorua on Saturday night, attended by more than 640 dairy industry professionals.
The couple, who contract milk 1400 cows on 464 hectares for Fortuna Group at Edendale, also collected three merit awards including the DairyNZ People & Culture Award and Federated Farmers Leadership Award.
Head Judge Robert Ervine praised the dynamic partnership between Scott, 42, and Stacey, 40.
"Their skills complement each other. Scott is very data driven and wears multiple hats, overseeing multiple operations and managing 13 staff who are all driven to perform every day, and Stacey is very grounding – she's the glue," Ervine said.
The judges highlighted the couple's unique approach to staff wellbeing, including implementing the Te Whare Tapa Whā holistic Māori health model and allocating half an hour weekly for all staff to complete reflection journals.
"They have created a supportive pipeline and make sure there are pathways for people to progress within the business," judges noted.
Scott's journey to success included overcoming significant setbacks when COVID disrupted his business ventures in the United States, forcing him to return to New Zealand and rebuild from scratch in farming.
"They've learnt from their prior experience and Scott is really passionate about sharing and learning from failure. They really prove that when you get knocked down you get up and go harder," judges said.
The awards, held under the theme Te Puna o te Mana (source of excellence), distributed prizes worth over $1 million across multiple categories. Other major winners included Lauren McConnachie from Canterbury/North Otago as Dairy Manager of the Year and Mark Ready from West Coast/Top of the South as Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Judges emphasised a strong theme across all categories – the diverse pathways and significant equity potential available in dairy farming for those willing to put in the work.
"People entering dairy farming can look to this year's finalists and be encouraged by the multiple pathways, diversity in ownership structure, and life-changing opportunities that exist in the dairy industry," judges stated.
The couple's motto 'Go Fast Alone or Go Far Together' reflects their collaborative approach that has transformed poor-performing land into an exceptional farm business, earning them great respect from their employers and industry peers.