Leading edge pastoral farming at Grasslands Conf.

Leading edge pastoral farming to be discussed at Grasslands Conference

The 70th Annual Conference of the New Zealand Grassland Association will be held next week (14 – 16 October) in Blenheim.

The AgResearch sponsored conference is being held in conjunction with the Agronomy Society of New Zealand and the Fertilizer Manufacturers Research Association of New Zealand.

Scientists from AgResearch and other research organisations, farmers, and representatives from agri-business and the pastoral industry will deliver papers aimed at debating the issues facing pastoral agriculture.

The New Zealand Grassland Association is providing a vital forum through which those who are interested in the leading edge of pastoral farming can gain the latest information on pastoral research and technology, best practice and farming trends and opportunities.

Grassland Association President, Dr John Caradus says the conference presents an excellent opportunity to look at and debate technologies that will provide some of the solutions to the issues facing agriculture.

“The farming environment is constantly changing,” says Dr Caradus. “Pastoral farmers are facing challenges like rising cost, labour shortages, water availability, and the need to increase value rather than volume to improve profitability,” he says. “We have to adapt to cope with our changing environment.”

He says adoption of new practices and technologies by New Zealand's farmers and growers drives the evolution of primary production systems. Farmers don't work in isolation, and many groups have an interest in what happens on farm. This includes processors and marketers, agri-business suppliers, industry good organisations and local and central government

Forty-eight spoken papers and ten poster papers will be delivered during the three day conference, which also includes two half-day field trips to leading farms in the Marlborough region.

On Friday 17 October – the day after the conference - a one day workshop on “Adoption Methodology” will be held. This day will be devoted to looking at and debating the best ways to get farmer adoption of new practices and technologies.

Registration for the 70th annual Grassland Conference can be made online at www.grassland.org.nz or people can turn up at the Marlborough Convention Centre, Blenheim, and register on the day.

**Journalists are welcome to attend the conference at the Marlborough Convention Centre in Blenheim.

ENDS

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