Entering the 2016 Dairy Industry Awards prompted Glen and Donna Sparrow of Whakatane to take an in-depth look at all aspects of their farming business.
“You have a very short time in which to tell the judges about all aspects of your operation and preparing for that makes you drill down and focus on what’s really important,” says Glen.

Glen and Donna Sparrow of Whakatane were 2016’s Bay of Plenty Share Farmers of the Year.

The couple went through three separate judging processes, emerging winners of the 2016 Bay of Plenty Share Farmers of the Year.
Raise profile
“It has been a great experience. We entered the awards to challenge ourselves and raise our profile in the industry and also open our business up to others to critique – and all of those aims were achieved,” says Glen, who highly recommends other farmers enter the awards.
“There’s quite a lot of work involved in entering but it’s worth giving up a bit of hunting or fishing or shopping time to take part and gain the rewards entering brings.”
Glen and Donna represented the Bay of Plenty at the national finals where they enjoyed meeting likeminded people and learning about the challenges and advantages farmers throughout the country encountered.
This year Glen and Donna are team leaders for the BOP Share Farmer of the Year competition and they are enjoying seeing how the awards work from another perspective. “It’s also an opportunity to meet, on a personal basis, the sponsors – many of whom are companies we buy goods and services from.”
Profit over production
Glen and Donna’s goal is to create profitable and sustainable sharemilking businesses that provide them with a good income and ensure financial security for their family.
The couple, aged 39 and 36 with four children, is currently contract milking 450 cows for Craig and Marianne Hammond at Whakatane.
The Sparrows say their strengths are their personnel and their focus on profit over production. “Focusing on profit increases your awareness of costs and stock requirements, ensuring stock are well cared for and in good condition.
“It also means we use existing resources to their full potential, especially pastures.”