The Rural Professionals Fund, established in 2020 by the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, is now accepting applications for a second round of funding to support projects that could benefit farming communities. This is a unique research fund, specifically designed for farmers and farm advisors, to enable them to rapidly test smart ideas […]
Agri Tech
NZ falling behind on alternative protein opportunities
Emerging proteins may be a disruptor for our current farmers and growers but they’re also a major opportunity, Food HQ chief executive Abby Thompson says. She’s the co-author, with Food HQ’s business development manager Amos Palfreyman, of the report Emerging Proteins in Aotearoa New Zealand: What will it take for the sector to thrive?, launched […]
Huge solar farm leaves room for livestock
The term ‘solar farm’ may be about to take on a new meaning in New Zealand, with a proposal to fill 20.5 hectares of farmland with panels, and continue livestock grazing and arable growing underneath. Lodestone Energy Ltd (LEL) has applied to the Far North District Council and Northland Regional Council to establish a 39.4 […]
Research on extracting protein from green leafy crops underway
The Government is partnering with Canterbury’s Leaft Foods on a $20 million research and development programme that could put New Zealand on the map as a leading leaf protein concentrate producer. Through its Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures fund, the Ministry for Primary Industries is contributing $8 million to the five-year programme to develop technology […]
Kiwi farm equipment specialist takes on new heights
You might say, assuming a tolerance for puns, that to ask a company that specialises in making farm animal handling equipment to come up with something for giraffes was a tall order. But Farmquip took it in their stride. When Wellington Zoo started planning an upgrade of the habitat that is home to aunt and […]
Better, faster, smarter crop variety data for Australia’s grain growers
Australian grain growers are set to get better crop variety recommendations faster through a major Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) international collaborative investment. The $5.39 million five-year INVITA (Innovations in Variety Testing in Australia) investment will deliver improved predictors of variety performance, quicker access to trial data for growers, better monitoring of trial quality […]
Hotter, drier, CRISPR: editing for climate change
Gene editing technology will play a vital role in climate-proofing future crops to protect global food supplies, according to scientists at The University of Queensland. Biotechnologist Dr Karen Massel from UQ’s Centre for Crop Science has published a review of gene editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 to safeguard food security in farming systems under stress from extreme and variable climate conditions. […]
White paper sets out pressing regenerative agriculture research priorities
A new white paper says there is significant overlap on the continuum of practices between mainstream and regenerative agriculture. Among its conclusions is that there is a pressing need for scientific testing of the limited evidence and anecdotal claims being made by regenerative agriculture practitioners and proponents. Lead author Dr Gwen Grelet, a senior researcher […]
NZ needs its own Project Warp Speed on climate change
by Peter Griffon, founding Director of the Science Media Centre. This article was first published in BusinessDesk. OPINION: The good news about the Climate Change Commission’s draft plan to meet our Paris Agreement commitments and avoid the worst of climate change is that it doesn’t hinge on technology yet to be developed. The commission has […]
Knowing your fertiliser includes understanding how it spreads
With the summer season being a busy time for farmers and growers keen to get the fert’ on, there’s often a tendency to focus on getting the job done, rather than think too much about what’s in the product or how it’s being applied, says the Fertiliser Quality Council. The organisation, which overseas Fertmark and […]