Making a difference in agriculture

New Zealand | Friday, 12 April 2019

Waikato demonstration dairy farm Owl Farm has thanked WSP for sharing expertise over the last four years of a sponsorship agreement.

Owl Farm on the site of St Peter's School Cambridge, is a joint venture demonstration dairy farm between St Peter’s School and Lincoln University.

As a result of extensive demonstration of on farm practices research carried out here, Waikato farmers have access to world class resources, information and on-farm practices.

Stephen McNally, Head of Primary Industries, says that through the four-year sponsorship WSP has shared broad expertise in planning, ecological science and farm infrastructure engineering.

It’s been our immense pleasure to share this knowledge with programme participants and see the positive and significant benefits this work has, particularly as it contributes to future food security for our communities.

As part of this sponsorship, WSP designed and established a wetland funded by the Waikato River Authority on Owl Farm to investigate the use of wetlands in a farming context as a way of removing nitrogen from the water.

Analysis of early data is extremely positive, this story in the Waikato Times provides more information on this.

Stephen says that although WSP’s sponsorship arrangement with Owl Farm has come to a close, both parties acknowledge the value of the partnership and the bright future ahead.