Agricultural Science and Extension - 2014 Levy Oration

21 April 2015

Since this oration is in the name of Sir Bruce Levy, I took the time to google his biography and found it in the Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Many of us are aware of his role as the Father of New Zealand Grasslands with his message of fertiliser, improved pasture cultivars and the efficient cycling of nutrients through grazing. But what interested me was his extension technique with farmers. This was described as akin to a sergeant major (Sir Bruce) dressing down the latest group of raw recruits (the farmers). It was clearly suitable for those times. Interestingly, Sir Bruce Levy, in taking his research findings out directly to farmers, was emulated by other notable scientists such as McMeekan and Brougham.