It took four years but it was worth the wait.
The two Southland properties bought to house the Southern Dairy Hub’s science and innovation farm were exactly what the backers wanted.
Southern Dairy Development Trust chairman Matthew Richards said the purchase of the sheep and beef farms was a major milestone and meant this major dairying area now had its farm where, among other roles, research specific to the region could be done.
The farms would be converted and initially run 640 cows for the 2017-18 season.
“Buying another dairy farm was Plan B if we couldn’t find the right sheep and beef farm to convert.
“But what we have got is almost exactly what we wanted when we started the process.”
Taranaki-raised Richards said he and many other farmers learnt to farm dairy cows at demonstration farms in the region but when he moved to Southland there was no such facility.
Young people learning dairy farming went to a Winton sheep research farm for their courses.
Ten years ago local farmers Lloyd McCallum, Dave Dodunski, Gene Marsh and Alec Hunter led a project that established a demonstration farm on a leased Southland property.
But the lease was for nine years and two years before it expired, Richards agitated that the format needed to continue.
There was widespread agreement and a 36-page proposal was prepared by the board running the demonstration farm advocated a replacement farm have research and training capability and be a focal point for the industry and the 934 Otago and Southland dairy farmers.
“There are a lot of dairy farmers in Otago and Southland and they all pay a levy to DairyNZ, 4c a kg MS goes to industry good but there is little to utilise that in the southern region.”
DairyNZ agreed to invest $5 million in what became known as the Southern Dairy Hub, provided it had farmer support.
A roadshow promoting the concept and financial support proved it did.
AgResearch also agreed to invest $5m in the hub.
Richards said farmers liked the notion of having a focal point for the southern dairy industry, that $10m was being invested from outside the region and that southern farm management issues would be researched using commercial size herds.
“It’s not probably so much for us but for the next generation of farmers.”
Matthew Richards
Farmer
He said 524 local farmers contributed an average of $2000 each, which, together with donations from local businesses, added a further $1.25m towards the hub.
It was a sign they were looking long term.
“It’s not probably so much for us but for the next generation of farmers.”
Donations were still being accepted.
The final decision of what research was pursued would be left to a science advisory committee but Richards said improved pasture genetics, whether once-a-day milking could solve the staff shortage and resolving environmental issues were topical subjects.
“There is a lot of research already done but not at scale. We will do it with 200 cows, applied research at scale.”
The farm had to be converted and Richards said the land was good but not perfect so would provide management and research challenges.
It was close to Invercargill and eventually the herd would grow to 800 cows split into four lots of 200 for various research projects.
In 20 years time he hoped the hub would have played a role in addressing environmental challenges facing southern farmers to the point where it was leading regional councils on what should be done.
He also hoped that by hosting visits by school children and the community, the farm would help elevate dairy farming to be a career of choice.
The sales of the Makarewa farms settle on November 1 and Richards said the first task was to plant winter crops, immediately on possession.
They would then start converting the farms, a process many farmers had experienced, having done it on their own farms.
The project was welcomed by DairyNZ chairman Michael Spaans who said the investment reflected the importance of dairying in the south and would deliver relevant, innovative research.
AgResearch chairman Sam Robinson described it as a “smart” investment but also one that would advance science developments in the sector.
Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce welcomed the collaboration which would benefit both farmers and the wider science community in having a new, real-time research facility.
