Rural Women New Zealand is inviting people to get creative by writing short stories and taking photos and videos to showcase New Zealand’s farming life as it is today.

The competition is being run in conjunction with the Ministry for Primary Industries to tell stories behind the primary products grown on New Zealand farms.

MPI will use some of the photos, videos and stories to promote the New Zealand primary industry brand and our rural values.

Rural Women national president Wendy McGowan encourages people to get their creative juices flowing to share the challenges and triumphs of farming and today’s sustainable business practices.

“We hope to see entries reflecting our care of the land and our animals, and the skills and ingenuity of the people that make New Zealand’s primary industries so successful.

“Stories are powerful, and we have some great farming stories to tell.”

Rural Women NZ also hopes the competition will highlight the opportunities for great careers that are available in the sector.

The competition is being run as part of Rural Women NZ’s celebrations to mark the 2014 International Year of Family Farming.

Story writers can enter any of the following five categories: Women and men at work on the farm; farm machinery and farm innovation; animals; children; rural communities.

The competition is open to everyone and entries close November 1.

Entry forms and further information can be found at www.ruralwomen.org.nz/iyff