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The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) will once again present its National Beef Performers Awards in 2022. This is the 44th instalment of the awards, the aim of which is to showcase the best of the best in seven categories, all relating to beef cattle performance and beef cattle producers. Each of the seven categories is sponsored by various agricultural companies and role-players, and serve to honour those who have excelled in their breeding and production practices, as well as the mentoring of fellow producers. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has been a key stakeholder in these awards since its inception and continues to play this role this year. As of 2022, Plaas Media is the main sponsor of the awards and will also be sponsoring certain categories.
The National Mentor of the Year award category, sponsored by Molatek, was introduced to the ARC National Awards only a few years back and has become very popular ever since. It is one of the award categories that really highlights the impact and contributions that a farmer can make not only in his area but our country as a whole and also across all spectra of the production sectors. It has become an accolade that reflects both the personal and professional convictions of a farmer that relate to his or her efforts to take hands with his or her fellow farmers and plough back into industry in order to contribute to its growth and progress. We often hear the phrase āsharing is caringā, which should form part of the attitude and outlook of life of anyone who may qualify for this award.
In essence, the primary aim of the National Mentor of the Year award is to acknowledge farmers with exceptional leadership skills and efforts in building capacity and skills through information dissemination, mentoring and assisting fellow farmers to adopt and implement the relevant technologies and management skills to enhance their productivity and sustainability. In short, this award category assesses how a farmer ploughs back his/her skills, knowledge and experience to the benefit of others. Farmers who enter this category should have a record of accomplishment that attests to their efforts to train and mentor others and very importantly to show the impact of their actions and mentoring initiatives. ā Dr Ben Greyling and Frans Jordaan
Read more about other awards categories:
- Get ready for the 2022 ARC National Beef Performers Awards
- ARC National Best Elite Cow Awards
- ARC National Platinum Bull Awards
- ARC National KyD Province of the Year Award
- ARC National Emerging Beef Farmer of the Year Award
- ARC National Special Performance Test Class
