By JOHN ROADLEY*
The International Dairy Federation summit, being held in Auckland this week, is a major event on the world dairy industry calendar.
It will bring together representatives from up to 41 countries and from many professions and occupations. There will be scientists, farmers, nutritionists, regulators, marketers, statisticians, veterinarians and more taking part in the seminars, plenary sessions, workshops and field trips which will comprise the summit.
The summit is, first and foremost, a forum for discussion and the exchange of information. It offers participants valuable opportunities to update their knowledge, to exchange views and meet key people in their own and related fields.
At this year's summit - the first to be held in New Zealand since 1985 - there will be a strong focus on farming issues such as environmental impacts and animal health issues. Respected international authorities will speak on these subjects and their addresses will be complemented by on-farm field presentations.
