Twice-launched hub gets going
Southland's new research and demonstration dairy farm, the Southern Dairy Hub, is decidedly up and running – twice!
The Southern Dairy Hub is the best opportunity for southern dairy farmers to get the support they need to continue farming profitably and sustainably, says Southern Dairy Development Trust (SDDT) chair Matthew Richards.
“The Southern Dairy Hub is a huge deal. We need to get it… working in partnership for the benefit of southern dairy farmers and the southern community.”
The $26.5m project will get $10m from principal industry partners DairyNZ and AgResearch, dependent on local contribution. SDDT will pay $2.5m, generated by the Southland Demonstration Farm; the balance will be debt.
Hub promoters last week gathered at the Lochiel, Winton, farm of Tim and Jocelyn Driscoll to present the proposal and ask southern dairy farmers to help pay for it. The 45 attendees included DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle and AgResearch representative Shane Devlin.
The Hub needs $2 million from local farmers and businesses by April 30 to go ahead, Richards says. So far 170 farmers and businesses have pledged $383,000.
Farmers will rightly question how the hub will benefit them, Richards commented.
“This hub will test new ideas, innovation and practices at scale – so we farmers don’t have to. It will address local issues in local conditions, do comparative research and give farmers information we need to make decisions on our farms with some confidence of the likely outcomes.”
Southern dairy farmers are under pressure from, for example, the effect of dairying on waterways. Also, restrictions are likely on new dairy and wintering systems.
Richards is encouraging southern farmers to support the hub because the Southland Demonstration Farm ceases operation next year.
Mackle says the proposed hub “differs from the current demonstration farm in its focus on comparative research so that farmers can access ideas, innovation and options, tested with a degree of confidence and understanding of likely outcomes.”
The Southern Dairy Hub is envisioned as a 300-380ha farm milking four herds of 200 cows each and located in central Southland. It would have offices, education facilities and space for industry partners and organisations.
