The Ron Cocks Award recognises a person who has made a significant contribution to irrigation in NZ.
J.R. (Ron) Cocks was a Mid Canterbury farmer, a pioneer, visionary and a leader in farming affairs. His greatest legacy to New Zealand was his leadership in water issues. The Memorial Award acknowledges that legacy and encourages others to follow his leadership.
Previous recipients of the award were:
- Sid Hurst in 2008
- Allan Hubbard in 2010
- Brian Cameron in 2012
- Bob Engelbrecht and Grant McFadden in 2014
- Tony Banks and Robin Murphy in 2016
- Gavin Dann and Terry Heiler in 2018
In 2020 the recipient of the award was the late Graeme Tulloch.
Irrigation New Zealand calls on members to nominate people they consider worthy of this award. The criteria are:
1.Duration of service
2.Quality of service
3.Actual achievement
4.Level of voluntary input
5.Leadership.