The trip included
stops at cattle, deer and sheep farms,
dairies, fruit and vegetable farms,
grain and cotton farms, as well
as, agricultural and food related
industries. Participants were treated to an overnight farm stay with local farm families
in Australia.
The land down under...
New Zealand is sometimes called “the world’s biggest farm”, with agriculture being the largest sector of the economy. Pastoral farming is the major land use, but there are increases in land area devoted to horticulture. Agriculture products include: wheat, barley, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wool, beef, lamb and mutton, dairy products and fish. New Zealand is the world’s eighth largest milk producer, with about 2.2% of world production.
Agriculture industries in Australia are comprised of a wide variety of crops, horticulture, viticulture, dairy, fiber, fisheries and livestock. The beef industry is the biggest agricultural enterprise with more than 60% of Australian beef exported primarily to the United States and Japan. Despite the harsh agricultural environment susceptible to drought, dryland salinity and acidity of soils, Australia is one of world’s major exporters of agricultural products.
The MAB completed its fourth international trip with an agribusiness tour of
New Zealand and Australia April 16 - May 1, 2010.
