A new farm training centre in North Canterbury will have its first student intake in 2015, if all goes according to plan.
Lincoln University has signed a statement of intent with Sims Farm Cadet Training Trust to develop an on-farm education facility at Mendip Hills Station, a 6000 hectare property owned by the Black family.
The director of Lincoln's Telford division, Associate Professor Charlie Lamb, said the facility aimed to meet a shortage of properly trained farm staff.
"There are a number of farm training institutes based around New Zealand ... and there's new initiatives being looked at in the north of the North Island, as well as this one in North Canterbury," he said.
The facility was being developed in response to farmers not being happy with the current training system, and there being a shortage of trainees. As well, some of the larger farms saw an opportunity to facilitate training in their area.
