Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce does some site work at the Southern Dairy Hub development, watched by digger driver Royden West. Work is under way to convert the site of the new Southern Dairy Hub at Makarewa, near Invercargill, into a working dairy farm and centre for science and research. DairyNZ and AgResearch are the principal shareholders in the hub, investing $5million each, while local farmers and businesses have contributed a further $1.25million through the Southern Dairy Development Trust. The 349ha farm would be self-contained for wintering and young stock, allowing for research to be carried out across the whole system. Conversion work under way included site preparation for the dairy shed, research office space, storage facilities, barns and staff housing, farm roads and races, fencing and the effluent system.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 04, 2016 17:05 UTC