BLEDISLOE MEDAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19372, 22 December 1932, Page 12

BLEDISLOE MEDAL

RECORD OP WINNER* The Bledisloe Medal for 1932, presented by the Governor-General for award to the ex-student of Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, who is considered to have rendered the greatest service to the agricultural community, has been won by Mr George Rennie, of Taupiri, Waikato. The announcement was made at the annual prize-giving at the College. The conditions governing the award are:(1) An ex-student to qualify must have been, over a period of years, a successful farmer, showing that his course at the College has enabled him to develop hi- farm to the best advantage, that his presence in the district in which he farms has raised tht standard of farming, and that he has taken a keen interest in district affairs, especially in the advancement of agriculture in the Dominion. or (2) that he has successfully introduced new varieties of farm crops or better methods of production and utilisation of farm crops. or (3) That he has been a noted success in breeding or introducing stud stock. or (4) That he has been distinguished as a research worker or agricultural instructor. or (5) That he has gained academic distinction following his College course and as a direct result of that or that he has performed noteworthy public service. Mr Rennie is a son of the late Mr John Rennie, of Doyleston, and was a pupil at Canterbury Agricultural College in the first decade. He attended in 1886 and 1887, and secured his Diploma in the latter year. He settled at Lincoln, and was an examiner for the College agricultural examinations for a great many years, ceasing that work only when the system of having examiners was abandoned. He was always interested in instructive work in agriculture, and was the first agricultural instructor employed by the Canterbury Education Board. Later he became a member of the Education Board, and was a member of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College for many years. In 1916 Mr Rennie went to Taupiri, taking up a block of 500 acres, which was in a rough state. He carried the principles he had learned at Lincoln into practice, and was a pioneer in the Waikato of intensive winter feeding. He cut hay and ensilage, and with determination proceeded to break in the rough areas by degrees. His use of fertilisers was also a relatively new departure in the Waikato, and with their aid he established pastures including selected ryegrass, cocksfoot, red clover, and white clover, and commenced swamp reclamation. The productivity of the area has been trebled by the beginning of this year, and last year his return from 215 cows was 64,6821 b of butter-fat, giving an average of 300.81 b a cow. The return from each cow was £l4/1/-. In the herd—a crossbred one—there are 71 two-year-olds. Since 1916 the area won from the swamp totals 70 acres. To-day the farm is divided into three blocks, two of which are farmed by his two sons. One of them, Mr J. Rennie, also secured a diploma at Lincoln College. Mr Rennie, sen., introduced herd-testing to his farm and continues it.