WaterForce at the 2026 NZFET National Sustainability Showcase
WaterForce was proud to attend the 2026 New Zealand Farm Environment Trust National Sustainability Showcase in Christchurch, celebrating farmers and growers who are proving that strong businesses, healthy land, safe water and long-term resilience all belong in the same conversation.
Last night at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Southland farmers Michelle and Tony Roberts, of Top Deck Trading at Merino Downs near Gore, were named winners of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy and recognised as the 2026 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing.
It was a fantastic night. Not just because of the awards, the room, or the scale of the event, but because it recognised something we see often in our work across rural New Zealand: farmers and growers getting on with the job, while also taking responsibility for the land, water, animals, people and communities connected to their business.
That work is not always loud. Much of it happens quietly, behind the farm gate, in the decisions made around infrastructure, water systems, animal welfare, planting, fencing, maintenance and long-term planning.
The NZFET programme gives that work a platform, and we were proud to be there.
Congratulations to Michelle and Tony Roberts
Michelle and Tony’s story is a strong reminder that sustainable farming is not only about what a property looks like today. It is about the decisions made over years.
Their farming journey has taken them from sharemilking in the mid-1990s through to owning and developing Top Deck Trading, a 269 hectare operation combining specialist deer production, dairy heifer grazing and a small sheep flock.
Their business has included major infrastructure upgrades such as deer fencing, expanded laneways, an upgraded cattle water scheme, covered deer troughs to improve drinking water quality, and the conversion of existing buildings into practical deer handling facilities.
The New Zealand Farm Environment Trust describes the National Sustainability Showcase as the event that brings together regional supreme winners from across Aotearoa and culminates in the Gordon Stephenson Trophy presentation, awarded to the National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing.
For us, the Roberts’ win stood out because it showed what continuous improvement can look like in a real farming business. Not a perfect system dropped in overnight, but practical decisions made one after another, with an eye on people, animals, the environment and financial performance.
That is the part worth celebrating.
Why WaterForce supports the Ballance Farm Environment Awards
WaterForce is a regional sponsor of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards across Canterbury, Southland, East Coast and Horizons.
We support the awards because water sits at the centre of so many good farming decisions. It affects animal health, staff wellbeing, food production, irrigation performance, compliance, environmental risk and business resilience.
Across New Zealand, WaterForce designs, supplies, installs and supports water systems for farms, homes and industry, including irrigation, pumping, stock water, compliance tools and drinking water solutions.
That means we see the practical side of sustainability every day.
It is in the trough that keeps stock drinking clean water through summer. It is in the bore or tank system that gives a family reliable household supply. It is in the filter, UV unit or treatment system that helps protect staff and visitors. It is in the pump, meter, mainline and control system that needs to work when conditions are under pressure.
Good water infrastructure does not always get attention when it is working well. But when it is designed properly and maintained properly, it reduces risk across the whole operation.
The WaterForce Safe Water Recognition Award
As part of our support for the regional awards, WaterForce is proud to sponsor the WaterForce Safe Water Recognition Award.
This award recognises farmers who demonstrate leadership in providing safe, potable water for people and food processing on-farm, including staff, family, contractors and others.
That includes water used for washing and CIP, or Clean in Place, solutions, as well as the wider management practices that reduce water-related risk and support long-term resilience.
For WaterForce, this award matters because safe water is not a side issue. It is part of a well-run farm.
A strong safe water approach can include:
- Understanding the water source, whether that is bore, rainwater, spring or surface supply
- Testing water quality and responding to results
- Matching filtration and treatment to the actual risk
- Protecting storage and reticulation from contamination
- Maintaining pumps, filters, UV systems, tanks, troughs and pipework
- Planning for dry periods, peak demand and business growth
- Keeping records that support compliance and good decision-making
WaterForce provides residential drinking water filtration solutions ranging from under-tap filters to whole-house systems, and also supports commercial water treatment where clean, safe water must meet New Zealand drinking water expectations.
On farm, those same principles apply, but the system is often more complex. A rural water supply may need to serve the house, staff accommodation, sheds, dairy or food processing areas, stock troughs, washdown points and irrigation or operational uses.
That is why good design matters.
Sustainable farming is practical, not theoretical
One of the best parts of the NZFET awards is that they recognise the real-world nature of farm improvement.
Sustainability is not a slogan when you are making decisions about stocking rate, fencing, water quality, wetland retirement, animal handling, succession, cashflow and infrastructure. It is practical. It has to work in the paddock, not just on paper.
The Roberts family’s operation is a good example. Their environmental focus includes biodiversity corridors, wetland and marginal land retirement, improved water quality and stronger biodiversity outcomes, while still maintaining a high-performing farming business.
That balance matters.
Farmers and growers do not look after land instead of running profitable businesses. The best operators know those things are connected. Healthy systems support stronger businesses, and profitable businesses are better placed to keep investing in people, infrastructure and the environment.
A proud night for the primary sector
The National Sustainability Showcase brought together the 11 Ballance Farm Environment Awards Regional Supreme Winners from across New Zealand, with finalists assessed across financial, social and environmental performance.
For WaterForce, it was a privilege to be in the room and to help recognise the people doing the work.
Congratulations to Michelle and Tony Roberts, their family and team at Top Deck Trading, and to all regional finalists and award winners across the country.
We also want to acknowledge the farmers and growers in Canterbury, Southland, East Coast and Horizons who continue to share their stories, open their gates, ask hard questions and make steady improvements year after year.
That is good for farms. It is good for communities. And it is good for the future of New Zealand food and fibre.
Need support with safe water, stock water or farm water systems?
If you are reviewing your on-farm water supply, treatment, storage, stock water, metering or irrigation infrastructure, talk to your local WaterForce team.
We can help assess what is working, where the risks are, and what practical upgrades will give your farm a safer, more reliable water system for the years ahead.
Photo credit: NZFET - Alan Gibson
