Southland couple heading to World Dairy Sumit

13-10-2008 | Not Specified

Southland dairy farmers Abe and Anita de Wolde are heading to Mexico City next month for the 2008 World Dairy Summit, courtesty of agribusiness lender Rabobank.

The de Woldes' entry was drawn from more than 1900 received from dairy farmers throughout New Zealand. Rabobank created the competition to provide the opportunity for a dairy farmer to enhance their knowledge of the global dairy industry at the summit, from November 11-14.

The couple, who farm northwest of Invercargill, emigrated to NZ from Holland in 1990 and now run a large dairy farming operation involving three farms, an equity share in a fourth farm and two other dairy support blocks.

Their 1355ha home dairy operation has produced about 900,000kg of milksolids in recent seasons.

The competition win comes shortly after the couple were awarded the 2007 Lincoln University Foundation Farmer of the Year title in November last year. They won the prestigious title for demonstrating excellence in innovation, efficiency and sustainability in their dairy farming practices.

Abe de Wolde says they are thrilled to attend the summit and learn more about dairy industries in other parts of the world.

He and Anita say they are always looking at ways of improving their operation and that networking with dairy industry participants from around the world is bound to generate new ideas.

The annual World Dairy Summit attracts speakers from 80 countries and more than 1000 delegates. This year's event is the 29th and it was held in NZ in 2001.

NZ will be well represented at the event, including Rabobank's senior dairy and animal protein analyst Hayley Moynihan.

After learning the de Woldes were the winners of the competition, the World Dairy Summit organising committee offered them a speaking slot in the Economics and Policies session. Abe has agreed to provide a brief presentation on NZ dairy farming sustainability practices.

Moynihan says the de Woldes have dairy farming experience in both Europe and NZ and, with their efforts to create a sustainable farming operation having already been acknowledged as best practice, their presentation is likely to be of great interest to other Summit delegates.

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