15 March 2007 Lincoln University Dairy Farm marks milestone of 10,000 visitors

 

 

The Lincoln University farm is a 186-hectare, irrigated, state-of-the-art New Zealand dairying unit run as a commercial operation and a research resource.

 

Regular “Focus Days” for farmers and other interested parties are among the educational extension activities based on the farm and a Focus Day was held today with the theme of Irrigation.

 

The “10,000 Visitors” ceremony took place during the lunchbreak and a gift was presented to lucky Irrigation Focus Day attendee Dr Wadia Kandula, a plant pathologist with the National Centre for Advanced Bio-Protection Technologies. Lincoln University’s Chancellor, Tom Lambie, a former President of Federated Farmers, made the presentation.

 

In addition to farmers, visitors to the dairying unit over the years have included a prime minister (Vietnam), diplomats (e.g. US Ambassador and British High Commissioner), NZ Government Ministers (e.g. Hon. Jim Anderton), overseas Members of Parliament (e.g. Australia, Italy), overseas government officials from numerous countries, environmentalists, scientists and student groups.

 

Today’s Focus Day, organised by the South Island Dairying Development Centre in association with Irrigation New Zealand Inc., covered topics such as field capacity, evapotranspiration, irrigation and effluent, irrigation audits, consents to take water, irrigator design and code of practice, installation of water meters and fertigation.

 

Dr Terry Heiler, Chief Executive of Irrigation New Zealand, was among the presenters. Dr Kandula was one of 180 mainly farmer attendees at the Irrigation Focus Day.