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Environmental gains as farmers reduce nitrogen loss

Dairy farmers in Canterbury’s Selwyn catchment are actively reducing their footprint, with data indicating many have reduced nitrogen loss by 30 percent. “Selwyn farmers have been working hard to achieve this milestone, taking steps on their farms to look after the environment,” says DairyNZ solutions and development lead advisor Virginia Serra. “Preliminary information shows 70 percent of Selwyn farmers have met their 30 percent nitrogen loss reduction target set by Environment Canterbury. “Another 20 percent are well on track to achieving it and are receiving support to get there. The remaining farmers will be supported this season to make progress.” DairyNZ collated the data from dairy companies and irrigation companies, plus a DairyNZ survey. Dairy farmers are using Farm Environment Plans to identify actions to reduce footprint, including improving water quality. Nitrogen is one of several contributors to water quality, with phosphorus, sediment and E. coli also playing a vital role and covered by the farm plans. “Reducing nitrogen loss over time helps improve water quality and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Mrs Serra. “Achieving these results is not easy and farmers are working hard to deliver. They are doing their best to keep up with regulations, across the spectrum of farming.” DairyNZ has been working with farmers from Selwyn and Hinds for three years through the Meeting a Sustainable Future project, supporting them to reduce nitrogen loss. This includes trialling options with 40 partner farms and sharing knowledge with local farmers. A recent DairyNZ survey showed all Selwyn and Hinds farmers surveyed are adapting practices to reduce nitrogen loss. This includes improving irrigation efficiency and effluent management, reducing fertiliser use, using the grazing herb plantain (which reduces nitrogen loss) and some are changing their stocking rate. Most Selwyn dairy farmers are required by current Environment Canterbury rules to […]

FarmIQ has new kill sheet data integration with ANZCO Foods

A recent API development at FarmIQ has opened the door for automated data sharing with meat processors throughout New Zealand. ANZCO Foods now joins Silver Fern Farms in integrating their kill sheet data with FarmIQ. The days of having to print kill sheets and manually enter data into the likes of Excel can be a thing of the past as a FarmIQ user. ANZCO’s kill sheet data will automatically flow through into the platform enabling farmers to make more accurate and timely decisions by having access to their kill sheets in an easy-to-read report and exportable format. Whether you’re looking to improve quality to achieve a premium or purely increase carcass yield; FarmIQ’s integration with ANZCO puts you on the front foot. Key benefits include: Mob Performance – understand what factors (i.e. animal breed, feed type, treatments, stocking rates) influence carcass characteristics so you can make the most profitable decisions for your business. Seasonal Performance – understand how carcass characteristics change across and between seasons so you can make the most profitable decisions for your business. Benchmarking – measuring performance against others in the region or around the country. Supplier Performance – the data will help support finishers in purchasing animals from those suppliers who produce better performing animals. EID Finishing – the data will allow farmers to utilise reporting functionality in FarmIQ to compare the performance of individual animals pre and post slaughter. Available on Performance and Enterprise packs only.

AIMI Survey: Cereal areas and volumes: October 10, 2021

Key Points at 10 October 2021 For the 2020/2021 season, cereal grain production (wheat, barley and oats) in NZ totaled an estimated 761,300 tonnes (down 7% on last year). Maize grain production was estimated at 214,900 tonnes. Total production of grain in NZ was therefore estimated to be 976,200 tonnes. Unsold stocks of cereal grain, summed over all six crops, are estimated to have reduced by 62% between 1 July 2021 and 10 October 2021. When compared to the same time last year, unsold stocks of cereal grain, summed over all six crops, are estimated to be 54% lower, mainly because of much lower unsold stocks of feed wheat and feed barley. As at 10 October 2021, unsold stocks of feed wheat and feed barley were estimated at 18,300 tonnes (down 37,200 tonnes on last year) and 19,300 tonnes (down 17,900 tonnes), respectively. On-farm storage of sold grain is down 20% (down 43,900 tonnes) on this time last year. Total on-farm storage, including both sold and unsold grain, summed over all six crops, is down 31% (down 101,200 tonnes) compared to the same time last year. The total area sown or intended to be sown in cereals is estimated to be 98,300 hectares, which is up 7% (up 6,600 ha) on last season. Roughly 87% of this total area had been sown, with 13% still left to sow. Crops are generally growing well, despite a slow start for spring crops as a result of cold and wet weather across NZ. Read full report here

DairyNZ acknowledges passing of John Luxton

DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel and chief executive Dr Tim Mackle have today expressed their sadness at the passing of former DairyNZ chairman, the Hon John Luxton. Hon John Luxton stepped down from the role of chairman in November 2015 after more than a decade of service to DairyNZ, and a lifetime of service to the dairy industry. Mr van der Poel and Dr Mackle say he will be remembered for his longstanding, unfaltering contribution to the rural sector, particularly dairy. “John has had a major role in the success of New Zealand’s dairy industry. John has always demonstrated strong leadership and longstanding commitment to the sector,” says Mr van der Poel. “John was instrumental in a number of significant policy and legislative changes in New Zealand, including the foundation policy work that led to the formation of Fonterra and the deregulation of producer boards. “One of his major achievements was shaping the development of DairyNZ – the first industry-good body of its kind and the largest in Australasia.” Hon John Luxton played a major role in helping guide the dairy industry through a significant period of change, which would soon become New Zealand’s number one export industry. He was instrumental in supporting a successful, viable, competitive dairy industry in New Zealand, with the sector employing 42,240 people and contributing $13.2 billion to New Zealand’s export revenue during his time as chair of DairyNZ. Dr Mackle says he will remember Mr Luxton for always being very supportive and being a statesman and diplomat who could bring people together. “John was an influential leader who unified the dairy sector from dairy companies through to local and central government departments,” he says. “He led by values, had enormous integrity, and always put the best interests of those in the rural sector […]

Marketing solution enables Kiwi wineries to sell to international consumers

From September, Wine Collective Direct, a global marketplace where New Zealand wine producers have their own e-cellar door, is adding a Digital Success Programme to its offering. The Wine Collective Direct (WCD) team know that international digital wine marketing can be daunting and so has created a collaborative digital marketing solution to help local winegrowers better market their craft wine to the world. “We’re absolutely thrilled to see producers experiencing high-value direct sales on the platform since launching in May this year. It’s evident that the producers who are making early sales (averaging $606.59 NZD per case and $52.57 per bottle) are proactively promoting their international e-cellar doors across their own digital channels,” says Ryann Calder, Manager of Producer Growth at Wine Collective Direct. “However, it’s highlighted to us that a large majority of wineries find driving international sales and promotions online a challenge.” The Digital Success Programme (DSP) solves the problem of many local wine producers not having the tools, time, or financial resources to reach international consumers via effective digital marketing methods. In 2019, NZ Winegrowers reported that 776, 599 international wine tourists visited New Zealand and spent $3.26 billion. It’s no secret that wine tourism is the lifeblood of many local vineyards, but with borders closed there are no international visitors at the cellar door. Wine Collective Direct recognises that digital promotion online is the most effective means of connecting with international customers in this current climate. “Different to the fast-moving commodity wine category, the craft wine category is characterised by consumers actively looking to connect at a personal level with the actual producer. Despite the decline in international tourists, overseas consumers haven’t lost their passion to discover the premium wines of Aotearoa,” says Calder. The Digital Success Programme harnesses the aggregate power of 100,000+ detailed data […]

Preparing businesses for the future

New Zealand businesses will be able to find exciting innovation opportunities thanks to new globally unique digital identifiers for different parts of their business. NZBN Organisation Parts, linked to a business’s legal entity identifier, the New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), and reinforced by a global international standard, will accelerate businesses’ adoption of digital ways of working. A business can assign Organisation Part identifiers to its different physical or logical parts (e.g., branches, departments, and delivery addresses) to enable accurate, safe digital interactions, and ensure key messages between trading partners (e.g., purchase orders, invoices, and deliveries) will be directed to the right place. “Organisation Parts will future-proof and empower businesses to innovate, digitise, and compete in the evolving digital economy”, says Ross van der Schyff, General Manager Business & Consumer at the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE). “The NZBN ecosystem has evolved to meet customer needs and now reflects New Zealand businesses’ structures and digital interactions. Organisation Parts will help businesses prepare for exciting opportunities, such as e-invoicing, secure transactions, and cloud-based information sharing, available with the growing digital economy.” Dr Peter Stevens CEO, GS1 New Zealand, noted the importance of businesses being globally connected for New Zealand’s status as a trading nation. “GS1’s Global Location Numbers were chosen by the Government in 2013 because they are globally unique, and part of a credible international system with strong links to trade and supply chain logistics. “Future uses of Organisation Parts could include creating digital pathways to track food from the paddock to the plate, car parts to the manufacturer, and medicine to specific cabinets in a hospital.” Active tech investor Serge van Dam says that the NZBN – now augmented with Organisation Parts – is the unique digital key that the digital ecosystem needs. “If businesses, technology providers and […]

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Dairy sector backs global methane pledge

The New Zealand dairy sector is committed to playing its part to reduce global methane levels by 30 percent by 2030. Global methane does need to reduce and the dairy sector will do its fair share to reduce emissions alongside all sectors. However, DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle (pictured) says he wants farmers to know the pledge doesn’t mean dairy farming emissions need to reduce by 30 percent, and for the Government to acknowledge this. “New Zealand dairy is already the world’s most emissions-efficient dairy milk producer, and dairy farmers are continuing their work on-farm to reduce emissions,” says Dr Mackle. “Methane is derived from the energy, agriculture and waste sectors, and the pledge focuses on reducing methane from fossil fuels. New Zealand already has a robust 2030 methane target for agriculture in the Zero Carbon Act. The dairy sector and agritech companies have a lot of work underway to achieve it,” says Dr Mackle. Climate Change Minister James Shaw today announced at the UN climate change conference, COP26, that New Zealand is signing the global pledge led by the European Union and the United States. The pledge is clear it does not replace the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which dominate not only the overall level of warming but also the speed of warming. It also states a global methane reduction of 30 percent by 2030 has the potential to avoid 0.2 degrees Celsius of warming by 2050. The pledge focuses mainly on reducing methane from fossil fuels because the best least-cost opportunities exist there. It acknowledges agricultural methane and calls for technology innovation, incentives and partnerships in that sector. The new pledge is a collective target, rather than requiring each country to reduce overall methane emissions by 30 percent. “New Zealand already has a clear […]

Fonterra and Vitakey to enhance dairy’s contribution to health and wellness

Looking to a future where it is likely that many foods will be more valued for their specific health benefits, Fonterra and VitaKey Inc. has announced a transformative dairy science collaboration to further unlock the benefits of Fonterra’s probiotic strains. VitaKey specialises in precision delivery of nutrition – an emerging area of research that seeks to deliver the right nutrients, in the right amount, to the right part of the body at the right time. Co-founded by Dr. Robert Langer, the VitaKey delivery technology platform for nutrients is based on technology licensed from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and developed at the Langer Lab, the largest academic biomedical engineering lab in the world. Utilising VitaKey’s proprietary technology and customised solutions, Fonterra is looking to design dairy products that incorporate targeted and time-controlled release of specific dairy nutrients, starting with probiotics, in a way that locks in the freshness for longer and allows the nutrients to be more active and beneficial in the body. Judith Swales, CEO for Fonterra’s Asia Pacific region, says the collaboration is part of Fonterra’s long-term strategy and ambition to be a leader in dairy innovation and nutrition science. “Our Co-op has a long and proud heritage of dairy innovation, pioneering many world firsts and, increasingly, new solutions which aim to help people live healthier and longer lives. “Home to one of the largest dairy culture libraries in the world, our Research and Development Centre contains more than 40,000 strains. Two of these strains, LactoB 001 and BifidoB 019, address key health concerns such as digestive issues and immunity and are recognised as being in the top five global probiotics. “By partnering with VitaKey, we aim to ‘make nature better’ by combining the goodness of our New Zealand milk with […]

New appointments at Asahi Beverages NZ support continued growth

Asahi Beverages NZ has appointed people into senior roles to support ongoing growth, build capability and provide opportunities for its people as it continues to invest in establishing itself as one of New Zealand’s leading beverages companies. CEO Andrew Campbell says the appointments reflect Asahi Beverages NZ is a growing business focused on delivering preferred alcohol and non-alcohol beverages to valued customers and consumers, as well as attracting and retaining great talent. “We’re excited to be welcoming new people to our team who bring with them outstanding, and in several cases, global experience to drive future growth.” Tom Robinson is among those joining the business in a newly-created role of GM Supply Chain based at Asahi Beverage’s Papakura manufacturing site. British-born Robinson is currently Plant Manager at Asahi Beverages’ Yatala Brewery on the Gold Coast, which is Australia’s largest brewery. A highly experienced and effective site GM, Robinson has run multiple brewing and cider making operations and held his role at Yatala for over 11 years. He was previously a Head of Manufacturing for Heineken based in the UK for four years. Robinson has also worked for leading UK brewers Scottish and Newcastle and has a degree in Chemical Engineering. He has commenced his new role remotely and will move to Auckland when the travel bubble between Queensland and Auckland reopens. Asahi Beverages NZ has also appointed Mark McGuire to the new role of NZ Capital Projects Manager responsible for the businesses’ supply chain function. McGuire has been with Asahi Beverages NZ for over 12 years and was previously Manufacturing Operations Manager.

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NZ start-up empowers Kiwis to grow-their-own vegetables

Kiwis keen to get their green fingers moving, save money and be more self-sufficient can start their own gardening journey thanks to an innovative seed delivery service and digital growing guide complete with a world-first rewards system. Topped off with a planting diary and an online marketplace to encourage collaboration and help Kiwis take small steps in their own backyard to reverse climate change, PlantMe.io is one-stop digital platform. “The idea is to encourage more people to get growing at home as meaningful climate action while also improving nutrition, health and wellness and your bank balance,” says PlantMe founder and CEO Fliss Roberts. “We’re building crypto rewards that will be a world-first in rewarding individuals for their climate action and bio-diversity restoration, and now we are inviting Kiwis to sign up to the platform and be citizen scientists to help us prove what’s possible and generate the data.” Wellington-based Fliss first had the idea for PlantMe at the end of 2018 to help individuals, families and the wider community start localising food and to make a collective impact on our bio-diversity and emissions. With an MBA in Sustainability, Fliss, who heads up Greenback, a female led green-tech start-up supporting collective climate action, got to work on building the PlantMe.io app. With the help of volunteer software developers, many fresh out of university and keen to apply their newly-learned skills to a business with a purpose, Fliss was able to launch PlantMe in 2019. PlantMe is inviting more Kiwis to sign up to have seeds delivered to their homes on a monthly, or quarterly, basis so they can grow their own fruit and vegetables with confidence. Subscribers are then supported on their gardening journey by digital growing guides, and seed choice is made depending on the recipient’s location to ensure optimal […]

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