Public invited to Lincoln University Dairy Farm

Public invited to Lincoln University Dairy Farm for Fonterra Open Gates Day

The Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) its opening its gates, along with a number of others, on December 10 to show off its environmental management.

It is holding an Open Day as part of the Fonterra Open Gates Day which is highlighting how farmers, along with the rest of New Zealand, care about what is happening with our waterways and the environment.

It will show how dairy farmers are working to protect our waterway with the likes of specialised native planting, fencing to keep animals out of the water, nutrient management and irrigation efficiency.

The Lincoln University Dairy Farm is a demonstration farm, and its environmental work is based on the efficient use of nutrients on the farm, to provide examples to farmers and keep it out of rivers and streams.

The day also highlights the process of producing dairy products, and the journey from ‘Sunshine into Food’.

“We want to expose people what happens on a regular pasture based dairy farm and answer some of their questions around the detail in the science and technology of producing milk on farm,” says Ron Pellow, Executive Director of SIDDC, which operates the farm.

“LUDF operates as both a demonstration farm for other farmers, and a commercial entity. We also have the stated aim to increase productivity on the farm without increasing the overall environmental footprint. This makes the information that comes out of SIDDC very relevant for farmers and the farm the perfect place to open up to the public to show them how it all works,” Ron says.
There will be a central marquee with information, displays, sponsors stands, dairy product sampling and giveaways (cheese, yoghurt, milk drinks, ice creams etc.)

This is a free event.
• Lincoln University Dairy Farm Open Day, 10 December 2017, 12pm-4pm, 1504 Shands Road, Lincoln
• The 560 cow Lincoln University Dairy Farm is operated by the South Island Dairying Development Centre (SIDDC) and is a fully-commercial demonstration farm, showcasing best practice dairy farming. SIDDC is itself a partnership between seven key New Zealand organisations involved in South Island dairying: Lincoln University, DairyNZ, Ravensdown, LIC, Plant & Food Research, AgResearch and SIDE.

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