BioMar has announced the recipients of this year's Farmer of the Year awards, based on production results obtained in 2024.
Australis and Multi X rank high in the Performance category, which recognizes the teams at Atlantic salmon farming centers that achieved the best biological feed conversion ratios (FCRb) in the industry, while Marine Farm takes first place in the coho category. Additionally, Australis achieves the Best Biological Conversion Company award and receives the award for Best Energy Efficiency with its Humos 6 site.
A low feed conversion ratio is the primary indicator of efficient aquaculture and, therefore, a step towards sustainable salmon farming. For this reason, this is the first indicator that BioMar has sought to highlight over time. Regarding Atlantic salmon farming, this year, Australis' Humos 6 site, with a conversion factor of 0.996, tops the ranking. It is followed in second place by Multi X's Taraba 3 site and Australis' Costa site, which occupies third place.
In addition to having two sites in the top spots of the ranking, Australis stands out with four other sites in the top 10: Traiguen (4th), Bahiabuckle (6th), Melchor 1 (7th), and Cordova 1 (10th). In turn, Multi X is also recognized for its Yelen site (9th), while Yadran obtains the fifth and eighth best conversions with its Melchor 716 and Rowlett 736 sites.
In the Coho category, Marine Farm's Leutepu site takes first place, with an FCRb of 1.064. Claudio Andrade, Marine Farm's seawater production manager, acknowledged and thanked "the effort, commitment and achievement obtained by the Leutepu site, especially all the personnel and technical staff who were able to obtain this important result, and of course with BioMar's support."
New recognitions
The previous year, the Danish firm decided to add new awards in recognition of excellence in efficient and sustainable salmon farming. Thus, in addition to achieving the first position as Farmer of the Year 2024 in the Performance category for Atlantic salmon farming, and adding 6 sites in the top 10, Australis obtained the award for Best Biological Conversion Company, which recognizes consistency in the excellence of the results of its farming centers.
Australis' Humos 6 site not only obtained the best biological conversion factor of the year but was also distinguished with the award for Greatest Energy Efficiency, highlighting its optimal use of energy to achieve its conversion factor of 0.996.
Regarding Australis' excellent results, Cristian Sauterel, Australis' production manager, commented: "We are very happy to receive these awards that reflect our company's commitment to productive efficiency and sustainability in salmon farming. The most valuable aspect of these recognitions is that they are not isolated events, but rather the result of a trajectory of excellence and consistency over the years. This continuity in BioMar's Farmer of the Year awards reflects the permanent effort and dedication of our entire team at each stage of the production process, and especially the work of the nutrition and feeding team, as well as all the personnel at the farming centers, whose constant work has been fundamental to achieve these recognitions."
