One of the important functions of the Department of Agriculture (later the Ministry of Agriculture) was dissemination of the latest farming knowledge to farmers. The department set up advisory offices in many cities and towns across the country. This is the Whangārei office, possibly in the 1940s. Until 1984 advice to farmers was free, as it was expected to help boost farm productivity and foster the country’s economic growth. Changes that began in 1984 eventually led to the demise of this service.