Friday, 22 July 2016 12:25

Arable industry graduate programme

Written by 
FAR chief executive Nick Pyke. FAR chief executive Nick Pyke.

Calling all graduates with an interest in the arable industry.

Applications for FAR's 12 month graduate programme which offers a chance to gain a thorough grounding in all aspects of the arable industry while working within it, close at the end of July.

FAR chief executive Nick Pyke says the programme is open to recent graduates with a degree in science, agriculture or agricultural commerce who want a career working with some of the world's best cropping farmers.

"Our graduate programme provides the opportunity to work with experienced agronomists and internationally recognised researchers and make connections in the cropping industry throughout New Zealand."

For current graduates Tim Brooker and Sophie Blair, the chance of working with numerous people, crops and organisations and having their own projects to work on were the key reasons for applying for a place on the FAR programme.

Blair is from a mid-Canterbury sheep, cropping and dairy support farm and graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Agricultural Science and Animal Science. As a FAR graduate, she has broadened her arable knowledge and gained personal development opportunities and experiences that will help in the industry. Her project is looking at the nitrate concentration in groundwater across the area between the Ashburton and Rakaia Rivers, east of SH1. The aim is to develop a greater understanding of nitrate concentrations with depth, sub regionally, seasonally and over time.

Brooker, who grew up around dairying on the West Coast, graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) and is focused on a career in the arable industry.

He says the graduate programme has provided a good introduction to cropping and a direction for future endeavours. His project is a monitor farm, focussed on economic and environmental sustainability of farming businesses. It will provide financial and physical benchmarks for farmers to help make decisions. It will also demonstrate how plot-level research transfers to field-scale farming.

Application forms are available on the FAR website far.org.nz or by contacting the FAR office 03 345 5783.

More like this

New CEO for FAR

The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) has appointed Dr Scott Champion as its new chief executive.

Rise in fall armyworm numbers

Populations of fall armyworm are two to three weeks more advanced than they have been in previous seasons, bringing calls for maize and sweetcorn growers to scout their crops as often as possible.

Featured

$2b boost in NZ exports to EU

New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.

US tariffs hit European ag machinery markets

The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.

Tributes paid to Jim Bolger

Dignitaries from  all walks of life – the governor general,  politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and  friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Red faced

OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…

Cold comfort

One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter