Southland farmers Scott and Stacey Mackereth are the 2026 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) Share Farmers of the Year.

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The couple, who contract milk 1,400 cows for Fortuna Group at Edendale, also won the Federated Farmers Leadership Award, the Trelleborg Sustainable Pasture Award, and the DairyNZ – People & Culture Award.

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“It’s validating all the hard work that we’ve put in,” Stacey says.

“It’s been six months of really hard yakka just trying to make sure we have all of our ducks in a row.”

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The Mackereths returned to New Zealand from the United States during the pandemic, where Scott had farmed for around 10 years.

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“The big thing was finding the right people to partner up with… we saw a lot of opportunity, and then the big one was partnering up with someone that really wanted to back good people and really help them get going again,” Scott says.

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The couple partnered with Fortuna Group, which was founded by David and Kay Dodunski in 2012 and operates 23 farms in Southland. The Mackereths have since entered an equity partnership with the group on a further three farms running around 2,500 cows at Clydevale, Scott says.

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The Edendale property is 500 hectares, 464 effective, with drainage work and infrastructure improvements driving production gains every year, he says.

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“The people are what drive everything.

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“You can’t manage that amount of stock without having people working together as a team.

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“We make sure that they’ve got the right support, and they’ve got their drivers in that they feel proud of what we’re doing.”

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Stacey says staff are included in decisions and all farm communication.

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“We try to create a community here with our staff on farm, so that’s having catch-ups, having dinners, and we make sure that they’re fed, especially over the calving season.”

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The leadership award carries particular meaning for the couple, Scott says.

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“With the dairy industry you can start out as a dairy assistant and work your way up through the ranks.

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“I don’t know any other agricultural industry that you can start off at entry level and work your way through the sector so quickly.

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“If you want a space to grow, this is a great place to prove yourself.”

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