A familiar face in the farming community, a man who has given “countless hours” supporting rural families facing hard times, has been named a Primary Industries NZ Award finalist.
Neil Bateup, whose farm is off the Tahuna-Ohinewai Road, is one of three Rural Hero finalists – alongside the late Chris Allen, and Ian Jury.
But Neil, who helped set up the Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Rural Support Trust in 2004, and still remains its chair, said he wasn’t a lone hero.
“I think the Rural Support Trust is the hero,” he said.
“I just happen to be privileged to be able to chair it. But really, it’s the team of about 350 people around the country who are out there supporting those people in need. They are the real heroes.”
Neil said the Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Rural Support Trust was “growing phenomenally” with around 60 people now in the local team.
“In those early days we were getting very few calls because people didn’t know a lot about us. We became a bit more visible, I think, after the 2008 drought, which was a very severe drought in the wake of it.
“I’m really proud of the work that we do,” he said, “and it’s growing phenomenally.”
Neil had been out on his 240-hectare, 670-dairy cow, Te Hoe farm the day he spoke with The Profile, and said the profession had been “really good” to him.
“I still enjoy farming, and farming’s been good to me. The whole journey has been about the people.
“[In 2004], a group of us could see a need, and I can still see that need because farmers and growers are often working on their own, and things happen, things go wrong from time to time. It could be climate issues, it could be financial issues, it could be personal issues, mental health issues. It could be a whole range of different things.
“And when things go wrong, it’s just being able to help people work through it and come out the other side, and be stronger after it.”
The seventh annual Primary Industries NZ Awards are a highlight of the two-day PINZ Summit taking place at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on June 24 and 25.
Federated Farmers chief executive Terry Copeland said the awards celebrated the country’s primary industry “movers and shakers”; the leaders who go the extra mile.
“Their efforts inspire others and lift the employment prospects and standard of living for fellow Kiwis,” he said.
Alongside Neil, the two other Rural Hero finalists are Chris Allen and Ian Jury.
Chris, who died in an accident on his Ashburton farm last December, gave 14 years’ service as an elected Federated Farmers leader, including eight years on the national board, while Ian has spent 20 years raising money for the Taranaki rescue helicopter by collecting batteries for recycling.
BY KELLEY TANTAU
