Press releases For Media queries contact: Claire Spiers Brand Manager T: +64-4-381-0862 M: +64-27-438-2931 May 2010 DTOTY 2010 - Blake Korteweg (41.1kb  pdf) The 2010 New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year, Blake Korteweg, will have a bright future in the dairy industry. Winners' X-factor shines in Dairy Awards (53kb  pdf) All three winners in the 2010 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards have the 'x-factor' that will ensure their success in the dairy industry. Primary Industry Employers to benefit from clearer training outcomes (112.34kb  pdf) Employers stand to benefit from a project that will see a larger pool of people with the skills needed for our land-based industries. Fresh farmers test their skills (14.9kb  pdf) Young farmers from across the Bay of Plenty got the chance to test their skills and learn new ones at the Agriculture ITO Skills Day. Dairy Awards Finalists flock to Rotorua (33.41kb  pdf) The 36 finalists in the 2010 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards begin arriving in Rotorua today as they enter final preparations for the annual national awards dinner. April 2010 Dairy Awards finalists compete for $130K (14.9kb  pdf) The 36 finalists in the 2010 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are competing for about $130,000 in cash and prizes. Dairy Trainee finalists follow their bosses (65.29kb  pdf) One-third of the 12 finalists in the 2010 New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year competition are employed by either current or past participants in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards. March 2010 50 Years of Golden Shears Agriculture ITO was proud to be part of the Golden Shears 50th anniversary celebrations and pleased to engage once again with the shearing and wool harvesting community. ITOs join force on Primary Industries Trades Academy Developing quality new entrants for primary industry - A 'virtual' primary industry trades academy running national, pan-industry school- and workplace-based training for 16-18-year-olds is a step closer with funding for a feasibility study announced. February 2010 Judging role for ITO manager Pete MacGregor, Strategic Relationships Manager with Agriculture ITO, has been chosen as a judge to select finalists for this year's Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for Maori farming enterprises. Dairying experts to judge prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy - BNZ Maori Excellence in Dairy Farming competition The judges for this year's prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy - BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Dairy Awards have been announced. Farmer investment in people strong despite recession Over 12,000 people completed work towards national qualifications in the agriculture and water reticulation and treatment industries in 2009, the Agriculture Industry Training Organisation announced this week. Once in a lifetime opportunity for South Island farmers 25 people from the South Island will be chosen to attend the free, intensive five-day programme run by Agriculture Industry Training Organisation (Agriculture ITO) and sponsored by dairy hygiene and animal health supplier FIL New Zealand. December 2009 Francie puts a feather in her cap - covering our Poultry Trainee of the Year, Francie Collings Heifer calves one way to farm riches - Advice from the experts at an Agriculture ITO careers day Kiwis don't know how lucky they are - Agriculture ITO training "worth millions", says a new New Zealander November 2009 2010 Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Award Prestigious Maori Dairy Competition Launched Maori dairy farmers are being urged to showcase their achievements by entering the 2010 Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming competition, which was launched today. Agriculture ITO Annual Report Wins Agriculture ITO won the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants 2009 Leadership Awards best annual report by a not-for-profit organisation. It was the first time we had entered the competition. "The Annual Report is one of the windows through which the world looks at us and this shows us in very good light," chairman Cliff Tipler said. Chief executive Kevin Bryant noted the teamwork that the report represented. "We are striving to achieve best practice right across our business and this award is an example of our efforts delivering," he said. Click to view annual report October 2009 Agriculture ITO Launches Futures Research Agriculture ITO has launched a Futures Research project that will identify key trends and drivers in New Zealand's water and agriculture industries over the next 20 years. September 2009 Agriculture ITO leads literacy project Agriculture ITO is leading a new project to improve literacy in the rural workforce, starting with the wool-handling industry. August 2009 New qualification targets core farming skills Agriculture ITO, Taratahi Agriculture Training Centre and Telford Rural Polytechnic have joined forces to develop a new, nationally recognised pre-employment qualification for agriculture. July 2009 The farm is the classroom for Agriculture ITO course There's no classroom learning for the Agriculture ITO Stockman's course. In fact the classroom could be anywhere from a high country station to the sheep yards closest to the house. It's all on job and trainees really learn as they earn. June 2009 BYO sleeping bags for Agriculture ITO course Sleeping bags are not usually a prerequisite for attending Agriculture Industry Training Organisation courses, but they are for the 18 farm trainees on a training course held in the Mackenzie Country. Block courses offer alternative for farm trainees Farm employees whose work schedules or remote locations can make it difficult to complete industry training courses have a new option to continue improving their skills and their job prospects. May 2009 Training critical to dairy success Industry training is critical to success in the dairy industry, says the country's top sharemilker. Farming in the fast lane Getting ahead in farming takes motivation, knowledge and dedication, as a dozen go-getting Modern Apprentices learned when they embarked on Future Farmers in April. April 2009 Regional Winners - Dairy Trainee of the Year 2009 Success on- and off-farm through Education Lifting a Farm's Performance Effluent Management Training aims to improve productivity August 2008 More to Agriculture ITO than agriculture courses Jenna Milne - Bound to Succeed a once in a life time experience at Focus on training to develop staff Care Blue - The more focused training we can supply staff with, the better - we reap what we sow June 2008 Every day is a growing career Dean and Kristen Nikora - 2008 Maori Farmer of the Year. Inaugural winner of Dairy Trainee of the Year Northland assistant farm manager Cameron Mitchell is still fizzing after winning the first national Dairy Trainee of the Year competition. June 2007 Dairying is Just The Job for Livia School-leavers find hands-on experience Just the Job Training opens doors for tutors and students Pilot Success ushers in New Milk Quality Training Programme Learning for all in Milk Quality Courses Technician soaks up Water Industry Training March, 2007 Developing Our People exceeds expectations A focus on outcomes was a key takeout from the Agriculture ITO / Telford Rural Polytechnic agribusiness conference Developing Our People 2007, held at the Christchurch Convention Centre on 27 and 28 March. February, 2007 Initiative helps to prepare students for rural life Agriculture ITO has led the development of a new curriculum support programme for secondary schools, designed to help prepare students to work in the rural sector. Duncan knows he's on a winner Taurikura farm manager Duncan Bayne summed up winning his new Suzuki off-road motorbike in a competition for Agriculture ITO trainees who encouraged new farm employees to enrol in a qualification programme. January, 2007 Conference a watershed for agriculture The Agriculture ITO agribusiness conference Developing Our People has the potential to be a turning point in the evolution of New Zealand's agricultural workforce, according to the organisation's chief executive, Kevin Bryant. World training expert signs up for NZ conference One of the world's leading thinkers in training and evaluation has been signed up as a keynote speaker at the Agribusiness Conference, to be held in Christchurch in March 2007. October, 2006 Dairy industry impresses TEC For two days in October, Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Chief Executive, Janice Shiner, and her team were immersed in the dairy industry courtesy of Agriculture ITO.