AFMA Technical Person of the Year Award (Barney van Niekerk)

Dr Barney van Niekerk’s legacy inspires and influences the animal feed industry in South Africa and beyond. He is widely recognised as an expert in animal nutrition and feed technology. He was mainly known for researching animals’ nutritional requirements and innovative feed formulations. His work profoundly impacted the industry, improving the health and productivity of animals and contributing to the industry’s sustainable growth. Dr van Niekerk was also a respected teacher and mentor in the animal feed industry. He played a pivotal role in educating and training young professionals in the field, sharing his knowledge and experience with future generations of feed industry experts.

The AFMA Technical Person of the Year award is presented annually to honour the memory of the late Dr Barney van Niekerk and recognise an animal scientist who has demonstrated exceptional dedication, hard work, and significant contributions to the field of animal nutrition. This prestigious award is presented during the AFMA AGM, honouring the recipient’s outstanding achievements and highlighting their efforts towards the betterment of the animal feed industry. The recipient will be honoured to share their thoughts, insights and experience with other esteemed industry professionals. The winner can reflect on their accomplishments, share their vision of the future of the feed and feed-related industries, and inspire others to continue working towards progress and growth in the industry.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

All animal scientists professionally registered with SACNACP have contributed valuable contributions to animal nutrition.

THE PRIZE

• The winner can deliver an acceptance speech during AFMA’s Annual General Meeting.
• The winner will receive a cash prize and a floating trophy as the AFMA Technical Person of the Year award winner.
• The winner will also receive special recognition of his/her achievement through acknowledgement in the AFMA Matrix magazine, electronic AFMA newsletters, and on AFMA’s social media pages.

EVALUATION OF NOMINATIONS

The AFMA Technical Person of the Year award committee will evaluate all nomination(s) received according to the following criteria:

• Industry relevance related to animal nutrition
• Industry technical contribution
• Mentorship related to the animal feed industry

The committee reserves the right not to present an award in a given year based on the quality and quantity of the nominations received. If the committee determines that there are no deserving candidates or that the nominations received do not meet the award’s standards, they may choose not to present the award for that year. The committee will make this decision after carefully considering all nominations and maintaining the award's high standards of excellence.