A new dairy hub will open in Makarewa.
The Southern Dairy Hub at Makarewa, near Invercargill, will be officially opened on Friday.
The hub, which includes a working dairy farm and centre for science and research, will allow farmer-led and local issues to be researched on southern soils, in southern conditions.
DairyNZ and AgResearch are the principal shareholders,
investing $5 million each, while local farmers and businesses contributed a further $1.25 million through the Southern Dairy Development Trust.
It was four and a-half years ago when local farmers, with the support of DairyNZ, brought together like-minded people to build a business case, find the money needed and buy suitable land.
The 349ha farm will be self-contained for wintering and young stock, allowing for research to be carried out across the whole system.
