“Aotearoa” is the Mauri name for New Zealand, meaning “land of the long white cloud.” When we woke up in Hamilton this morning, that was exactly what we found as a dense fog covered the region.

After checking out from our accommodation, we went to the Livestock Improvement Corporation north of Hamilton. We met the Program Manager, Cameron Marshall, and learned about how the company works to breed a more productive dairy herd in New Zealand. In addition, we learned about their business structure, which includes close relationships with local farms and agribusinesses. After a short coffee break provided by LIC, we learned more about how they use advanced technologies to increase efficiency when milking.

After the visit to the Livestock Improvement Corporation, we headed to the Hamilton Garden for a group picture and a quick sack lunch packed by the hotel.

Next, we headed to the Waikato Innovation Park and Food Innovation Network. Hosted by their Business Development Manager, Shane Kells, we learned about the history of the innovation park, the food industry they support, and the collaboration and opportunities they provided to small or mid-sized start-up companies in New Zealand.

Finally, we headed to Auckland for the evening. We only have two more days to explore the final city of our trip.

Learn more about studying abroad with IBIP