Gore Couple Named Top Sustainable Farmers
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A Southland deer and dairy farming couple have taken out the country's top prize for sustainable farming.
Michelle and Tony Roberts, of Merino Downs near Gore, were named winners of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy and 2026 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing at a ceremony in Christchurch on Thursday night.
The win caps a remarkable journey. The couple moved from the North Island to Southland in the mid-1990s, took on a sharemilking role with little more than ambition, and have since built a 269-hectare deer and dairy grazing operation — Top Deck Trading — running 667 red deer, 635 fallow deer, 220 dairy heifers and a small sheep flock.
The timing was not easy. Southland was hit by a destructive wind event last November, forcing some regional entrants to withdraw from the Ballance Farm Environment Awards programme entirely. The Roberts pushed through.
Head judge Karen Williams said the couple embodied everything the ambassador role represents. "They chased a dream, worked their way from sharemilking into farm ownership and then built the business they have today. Their story gives hope to others that this pathway is still possible."
Williams was particularly struck by how the two work together. "Tony is always looking around corners. He's prepared to challenge conventional thinking, embrace new technology and ask, 'Why not?' But every great idea needs someone who can turn it into a sustainable reality, and that's where Michelle is exceptional. She brings a calm, considered approach and has a simple rule that new ideas sit for three days before any decisions are made. Together they create a really balanced partnership."
Michelle's contribution goes well beyond the farm gate. Williams noted she has taken on leadership roles shaping the wider sector. "She hasn't simply supported the business from the sidelines. She's stepped into leadership roles that help shape the wider sector, including serving on Southland's Regional Forum to help guide freshwater management. She's prepared to tackle the crunchy issues, ask difficult questions and be part of finding practical solutions."
The judges also praised the couple's openness. "Their gates are always open. They've hosted farmers from around New Zealand, international visitors, students and community groups."
And on the question of scale — a perennial source of anxiety in farming — the judges were direct: "They're success hasn't been at the expense of their environment or their community, in fact, quite the opposite. They've also shown you don't need to have thousands of hectares to be a national winner."
The Roberts have been among the first to trial Nedap SmartTags on deer, using dairy-derived technology to monitor rumination, activity and heat detection to support an embryo transfer programme. Their environmental work includes biodiversity corridors, wetland retirement and improved water quality across the two neighbouring properties they combined in 2017.
Daughter Kate Roberts and her partner Mark Lieshout are now part of the business under a long-term succession plan — which suggests the story is far from over.
As 2026 National Ambassadors, the couple will spend the next year representing the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust programme and encouraging farmers across the country to focus on continuous improvement and environmental stewardship.