Muka Tangata Council member Wini Geddes (Ngāti Awa, Ngaitai ki Tōrere), alongside Simon Geddes, both of Tāne Mahuta, were awarded the Māori Agribusiness award at the 2022 Primary Industries Good Employers Awards held on Wednesday evening. This award recognises Māori agribusiness employers who drive good employment practices.

With more than 45 years of expertise in the forestry sector, Tāne Mahuta’s kaupapa (purpose) is to “train, qualify, and employ rangatahi (young people) to work on their own whenua (land).” To date, Tāne Mahuta have trained, qualified, and employed over 450 rangatahi.

The awards are run by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust to celebrate employers who put the health, welfare and wellbeing of their employees first.

Award winners were selected from a group of finalists across the sector, including wine, dairy, horticulture, forestry, apiculture and fisheries.

Congratulations on this wonderful acknowledgment of your mahi Wini and Simon.

Other Good Employer Awards were received by:

• Raglan Food Co (Employee Development Award & overall Supreme Award)
• Align Farms Limited (Safe and Healthy Work Environment Award)
• Sealord Group Limited (Inclusive and Diverse Workplace Award)
• Stefan and Annalize du Plessis of Mosa Farming Ltd (Small Business Recognition Award)