THE merger of two agricultural colleges will result in a combined total of 7,500 students studying land-based courses.
Askham Bryan College, York, takes over the running of further education courses at Newton Rigg, Penrith, from the University of Cumbria, from July 31.
Liz Philip, pictured, principal of Askham Bryan, said: “We will not be the largest college in the country, but we will be the largest offering land-based courses.”
Askham Bryan will invest £2.4m in Newton Rigg, including £750,000 to revive the dairy farm and create a herd of about 210 Holstein Friesians – its original herd was lost in the 2001 footand- mouth outbreak.
Askham Bryan has put someof its dairy cows to the bull to supply the new herd at Newton Rigg.
The combined colleges will have about 460 staff and a recruitment area from Derby to the Scottish border.
They will farm 2,100 acres, including a 450-acre hill farm at Newton Rigg, the only educational hill farm in England.
Mrs Philip said it was exciting times for both colleges.
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