Northland men join race to be next FMG Young Farmer of the Year
A Northland man who helped run one of Australia’s top-producing dairy farms has his sights set on a new challenge.
Brant Julian, 24, has qualified for the Northern Regional Final of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
“I’m stoked. It’s a great opportunity to upskill and broaden my knowledge of the primary industries,” he said.
Brant is second-in-charge on a 500-cow dairy farm at Te Kopuru near Dargaville.
He’s one of four people to qualify for the high-profile regional final after a district contest in Ruakaka last Saturday. ( November 3)
Competitors spent the day tackling modules testing their practical and theoretical skills.
Brant is a member of Northern Wairoa Young Farmers and from 2012-2015 worked on two dairy farms in Finley, Australia.
He will be joined at the Northern Regional Final by Daniel Richards, Jack Bellamy and Brody Goodmon.
Daniel is a member of Kaipara Young Farmers and took out first place in the district contest.
“I wasn’t expecting to win,” said the 21-year-old who is managing his parents’ 300-cow dairy farm east of Wellsford.
“This will be my second regional final. I wasn’t sure what to expect the first time, but I have a lot more confidence now.”
Fellow club member Jack Bellamy, 18, is “excited” to have also qualified.
Jack and Brody
won the Northern Region Fencing Competition last month, securing them a spot in the national final in Christchurch in February.
The Northern Regional Final of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year is being held in Warkworth on March .
The final four finalists will be decided on November 17.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
⛰️ Is Bream Head the ultimate Northland spot?
According to The Press, the Bream Head Scenic Reserve at Whangārei Heads has it all: the best views, the best forest, and the best adventures.
Do you have a hidden gem that gives Bream Head a run for its money?
We’re on a mission to find Northland's best "Secret Spots" 🤫
We want to hear from you! What is your go-to spot when you want to show off the best of the North to friends or family? 📸
Drop your recommendations (and photos!) in the comments below! 👇
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