Waimate West Demonstration Farm chairman John Fischer, Stratford Demonstration Farm chairman Graham Robinson and Taranaki Agricultural Research Trust chairman Brendan Attrill discuss the proposal for the establishment of Dairy Trust Taranaki.

Taranaki's three dairy research farms are proposing the establishment of a single trust that will protect industry research in the region long into the future.

Pending farmer support, the new Dairy Trust Taranaki (DTT), incorporating the Taranaki Agricultural Research Trust (TART), Waimate West Demonstration Farm (WWDF) near Manaia and Stratford Demonstration Farm (SDF), will be up and running on June 1.

TART chairman Brendan Attrill, SDF chairman Graham Robinson and WWDF chairman John Fischer say the proposal lays the foundation of an exciting future for dairy research in Taranaki.

Attrill said DTT would establish Taranaki as a national force in dairy industry research. It would create one of the biggest science platforms in New Zealand and would generate a sustainable regional dairy research model that would enhance the profitability of dairy farming in the region and beyond.

Without DTT, the future of dairy industry research in Taranaki would be at risk because the small size of the three entities would make it difficult for them to attract funding on their own, he said.

Over the years ground-breaking research has been conducted into the dairy industry in Taranaki.

At WTARS, DairyNZ scientist Kevin Macdonald has found markers identifying cows which were efficient converters of feed into milk. Research at SDF is evaluating the efficiencies, economics and environmental impact of high-input and low-input feed systems. A long-running WWDF trial is investigating whether growing crops on the dairy platform generates more profit and more production and is more environmentally sustainable than importing feed.

The three entities farm 300 hectares, milk about 900 cows, employ or contract 8.5 fulltime equivalent staff, and own assets worth $4.5 million, including about 290,000 Fonterra shares, livestock and machinery, and excluding land. Their significant equity will provide a solid foundation for the new venture.

Attrill said more than 200 years of history would be brought to the new venture, which would establish a co-ordinated research programme in Taranaki. It would also create a better interface with DairyNZ than the informal working relationships with the three entities which currently operate independently of each other.

DairyNZ already played an important role in funding, co-ordinating and directing dairy research in Taranaki and wanted DTT to be an entity driven by Taranaki farmers. It was granting $10,000 to assist with establishing DTT.

SDF chairman Graham Robinson said the three organisations' independence had led to fragmented dairy industry research in Taranaki. The new venture would ensure research would continue in the region and that it would benefit the wider industry.

WWDF chairman John Fischer said the varied topography, soils and farming systems on the three farms would improve research outcomes. Without funding for research on the relatively small Waimate West Demonstration Farm, it would slowly wind down. "We'll do better working as a team than going it alone."

The three organisations have been working for about 18 months on the proposal, which mirrors what is already happening in Northland and Southland. It has total support from the three sets of trustees.

The farms' supervisors, Joe Clough at Waimate West, Graeme Pitman at Stratford, and Debbie McCallum at WTARS, will be retained, as will TATC under the new structure.

Yet to be appointed is an operations manager who will co-ordinate research and obtain funding, liaise with trustees and ensure the farms are operated efficiently and sustainably. Savings in the three organisations' administration costs will help fund the new co-ordinator.

Each entity will have three trustees on the new trust. They are: WTARS, Brendan Attrill, Duncan Johnston, of Waitotara, and DairyNZ senior scientist John Roche; SDF, Graham Robinson, Brian Hockings, of Bell Block, and Paul Kuriger, of Opunake; WWDF, Roger Landers, Steve Poole, both of Kapuni, and Lloyd Morgan, of Rahotu. Fischer is retiring.

Fonterra, the South Taranaki District Council, Taranaki Regional Council and Young Farmers will also be represented on DTT.

John Eagles of New Plymouth law firm GQ and Grant McQuoid of the New Plymouth office of PWC have been assisting with the development of the new structure.

Attrill said a lot of work remained to be done, but he's confident the proposal will be endorsed by Taranaki farmers during a consultation process that will begin within the next month. "As long as it's sustainable and profitable, farmers will support it."

The Stratford and Waimate West demonstration farms were established almost 100 years ago by local farmers wanting a model dairy farm in their area to develop and promote better farming methods. They are both managed by the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre (TATC).

The 51-hectare SDF, with annual milksolids production of about 70,000 kilograms, is owned and operated by an incorporated society. WWDF is operated by a trust which leases its 40ha farm from the South Taranaki District Council. Annual milksolids production is about 50,000kg .

Established in 1992, TART leases a commercial farm and a 126-hectare research farm for the Westpac Taranaki Agricultural Research Station (WTARS). Commissioned in 2002 across the road from Fonterra's Whareroa site near Hawera, the WTARS farm replaced one established at Normanby in 1974. Annual production from TART's two farms is 220,000 kilograms milksolids.