Media ReleaseFriday, 4 Mar, 2005
WHEAT QUALITY COMPETITION OPENS
The annual Ravensdown/United Wheatgrowers Wheat Quality Competition opens today. This competition, now in its 12th year, recognises farmers for the management practices used to produce quality wheat.
"Quality wheat is important for quality flour. By taking part in the competition growers can benchmark their management techniques, and the whole industry can benefit through sharing best practice techniques", says Dr Tony van der Weerden, Ravensdown Technical Development Manager.
"Wheat quality is influenced by both management practices and weather conditions. Within a region everyone will have faced similar weather conditions and will be judged accordingly in the competition.
"December's wet weather has led to good yields for dryland farms, although in some regions such as South Canterbury recent weather conditions have made harvesting more challenging.
"The dry spell in November may have affected protein levels, which may be down a bit on last year's values," says Dr. van der Weerden.
"Ravensdown has an ongoing commitment to excellence and technology transfer so we consider this competition to be very valuable," he says.
The competition will be run in five regions: Northern (above the Waimakariri including the North Island); Central Canterbury; Mid-Canterbury; South Canterbury; and Otago-Southland.
This year's competition features bread milling, biscuit and feed wheat categories. Regional winners will be acknowledged, while the overall winners of the three main sections will each win a $2000 travel voucher and a trophy cup.
Entry forms are available from the Ravensdown Customer Centre (0800 100 123) or you can download here (823k).
Samples need to be sent with a completed entry form to Ravensdown's Methven Store by 1 May 2005. These will be judged by agronomy experts from Ravensdown and FAR, and a professional miller. Samples will be assessed on agronomic practices, grain quality and appearance (variety, colour and cleanness).
For further information please contact:
Alan Thomson
General Manager Marketing
Ravensdown Fertiliser Co-operative
Ph 03 353 4604
Fax 03 353 4625
Cell 021 900 347
Email aat@ravensdown.co.nz
About Ravensdown: Ravensdown is the biggest supplier of fertiliser in New Zealand, supplying more than half of all the fertiliser used in New Zealand agriculture. We are 100% owned by New Zealand farmers, providing them with sound technical advice and a comprehensive range of key farming inputs, all at the lowest sustainable cost.
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