Congratulations to Primary Wool Co-operative Chairman, Bay de Lautour for winning the Laurie Dowling Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture in Hawke's Bay.

Bay de Lautour was recognised for his incredible dedication and investment into the New Zealand wool industry at the Hawke's Bay Primary Sector Awards Dinner on Thursday, April 21. Surrounded by many of the industry's best, de Lautour received the Laurie Dowling Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution to Agriculture in Hawke's Bay.

A founder of the East Coast Wool Co-op when it was formed in 1974 in Dannevirke, de Lautour was made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2000 for services to farming, and remains involved as chairman of successor Primary Wool. It is a 50 per cent owner of CP Wool, which trades locally and internationally, is a major shareholder in New Zealand Yarn and owns the international wool carpet brand Just Shorn.

Primary Wool Co-operative would like to commend de Lautour for his hard work and consistent years of service to the Co-operative, New Zealand wool growers and the industry.

About The Laurie Dowling Memorial Award

According to the The Laurie Dowling Memorial Award for outstanding contribution to Agriculture in Hawke's Bay. A person who largely goes unrecognised and who has contributed significantly through their work or voluntarily and unselfishly, for the betterment of Agriculture in Hawke's Bay. This is in keeping with the ideals of the late Laurie Dowling who was very much a man of the land who was passionate about agriculture in Hawke's Bay, and worked unselfishly to advance farming throughout his consultancy career.