Timaru farmer attempts barley world record

Media Release

Friday 13 February 2015

Timaru farmer attempts barley world record

The Exclusive Grain Group today announced a Timaru farmer has attempted the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the highest barley yield. The world record attempt took place on Friday 23 January with a yield of 13.8 metric tonnes per hectare with the Blackman Agriculture bred variety 776.

Timaru locals Warren and Joy Darling have been growing and harvesting barley for more than 30 years. Each season they aim to produce their highest possible yield – in 2014 Poplar Grove Farm had an outstanding season harvesting 11.5 metric tonnes per hectare. Completely unaware of how close they came to breaking the world record, the 2014 yield became the catalyst for attempting the world record.

Darling said Timaru’s weather has had a big part to play in their tremendous success. “Since we are on the coast we get the right mix of weather for the high yield. There’s a lot of rain in the winter to carry us through to spring, and we don’t get those high temperatures in summer.”

The Exclusive Grain Group, along with key partners and suppliers to Poplar Grove Farm, came together to support the Darling’s world record attempt. “It is a great feat for the Darlings and for us all who have come together at various parts of the grain production supply chain to make this happen” said Exclusive Grain Group spokesperson and Canterbury Seeds Manager, Craig Noonan.

“We have been all very much involved in the lead up to the attempt and were there on the day to lend a hand with keeping a track of the weight records – these then had to be verified by a Justice of the Peace” said Noonan. “Samples were independently drawn and analysed for quality by SGS New Zealand before being submitted to GWR in the United Kingdom who are currently reviewing the attempt”.

“The opportunity to achieve world record status is incredible” said Darling. “It is outstanding that the South Canterbury region of New Zealand has the potential to be recognised on the global stage for growing world record breaking crops”.

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Visit www.exclusivegraingroup.com

About the Exclusive Grain Group

The Exclusive Grain Group is a program administered by Canterbury Seed in conjunction with UK wheat breeder John Blackman (Blackman Agriculture Ltd) to develop wheat and some barley cultivars specifically bred, selected and trialled for New Zealand growing conditions

Growers who belong to this group enjoy amongst other benefits, exclusive access to the Blackman breeding program and varieties along with the potential to realise financial gain from new higher yielding cereal cultivars.

www.exclusivegraingroup.com

Participating Companies

Participating companies in the Guinness World Record attempt include the Exclusive Grain Group (Blackman Agriculture UK and Canterbury Seed), Agronomy Solutions, Balance Agri-Nutrients, Bayer CropScience, CLAAS Harvest Centre Canterbury, Power Farming Timaru and Rabobank.

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