Lincoln award for Blenheim man

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32542, 27 February 1971, Page 9

Lincoln award for Blenheim man

Mr R. J. Ballenger, of Blenheim, leader in the development of horticulture in New Zealand, has been awarded the Bledisloe Medal for 1971.

The medal is awarded annually to a former student of Lincoln College who, in the opinion of the college council, has materially assisted farming in New Zealand or has otherwise advanced the country’s interests as a result of his training at the college.

After graduating at Lincoln College in 1939 with a B.Ag.Sc. degree, Mr Ballinger joined the Agronomy Division

of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. During the war he was engaged on advisory work within the British war-time food production programme. He rejoined the D.S.I.R. after the war to organise a vegetable research section at Lincoln but resigned three years later to develop his own enterprise on the Blenheim property which has become famous for its horticultural seeds. ASPARAGUS GROWER

In 1958 Mr Ballinger began intensive asparagus production, specialising in quality packing, and in 1966 he initiated the air-freighting of asparagus to Sydney, Singapore, Hong Kong and London.

Mr Ballinger also pioneered the year-round production of roses under glass.

While a member of the Vegetable Research and Advisory Committee and the Economic and Marketing Research Committee of the New Zealand Vegetable and Produce Growers’ Federation, Mr Ballinger was appointed, in 1968, to the Lincoln College Council. Two years later he was elected national president of the New Zealand Commercial Flower Growers’ Association.