The Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards celebrate the people, the innovation, the technologies, and management systems that make New Zealand’s grass-based red meat industry world-leading.
The B+LNZ Awards evolved out of the successful B+LNZ Sheep Industry Awards but now encompasses the whole red meat sector (sheep, beef and dairy beef).
The eight award categories (four people focused, four business focused) are continually reviewed to ensure they align with B+LNZ’s strategy and goals and reflect changes in the red meat sector.
The awards are a platform from which we can tell our sector's story to a wider audience. Help us shine a light on the farmers, scientists, teachers, innovators, advocates and community leaders who contribute so much to our industry.
Get a feel for the B+LNZ Awards
About the Awards Trophy/Tonga
Each of the winners on the night receives a trophy/tonga that is hewn from Tōtara – a tree that, like our industry, is valued for its strength and durability.
Recognising the longevity of Tōtara wood, our pioneering sheep and beef farmers used its hard wood to create fence posts, many of which still stand today as a reminder of the tenacity, foresight and innovation of our industry’s forebears.
For Māori, the Tōtara symbolizes life and growth. It reaches down towards Papatūānuku and up towards Ranginui, forming a link between the two primal parents separated by Tāne, the atua of the forests.
The three strands that form the trophy symbolise our sheep, beef and dairy beef sectors which make up the majority of our red meat sector. The weaves reflect our coming together as an industry to celebrate, as well as the diverse landscapes which our farmers are custodians of.