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Research shows plantain can reduce nitrogen leaching by 20-60%

The results, from the DairyNZ-led Plantain Potency and Practice (PPP) Programme, prove using Ecotain plantain in pasture can significantly reduce nitrogen entering waterways. Farm trials at Massey University and initial results from a trial at Lincoln University are showing similar trends. The trials are part of the nationwide PPP research and development programme that partners with dairy farmers, industry and Government. “These are exciting results – we now have robust scientific evidence that Ecotain plantain is an effective solution to help dairy farmers further reduce farm footprint and continue playing their part in improving water quality,” says DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. “Plantain can bring significant benefits to local waterways and communities – we all want healthy freshwater to swim and play in, and dairy farmers can confidently use Ecotain plantain on-farm to support that. “These research findings are part of a broader programme of work to continue delivering on dairy’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint in our local communities, while maintaining profitable businesses,” says Dr Mackle. The $22 million seven-year PPP Programme is funded by DairyNZ, the Government through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Fonterra, working with six additional research and delivery partners. The programme uses Ecotain environmental plantain from Agricom because it has proven effectiveness. An evaluation system is available to assess the environmental benefits of all plantain cultivars sold by a range of providers. At the Massey University farm trial, scientists are measuring nitrogen leaching from paddocks grazed by 80 dairy cows. After two years, the trial results have shown reduced nitrogen leaching by 20 to 60 percent in perennial ryegrass and clover pastures containing 30 to 50 percent Ecotain plantain. The results are compared to traditional perennial ryegrass and clover paddocks (the most common […]

SwarmFarm Robotics raises $12M AUD Series A to put integrated autonomy in the hands of growers

With over 1.3 million acres covered to date, SwarmFarm Robotics seeks to chart a farm-centric path in the race to farm autonomy. SwarmFarm Robotics today has raised a $12 million AUD Series A ($8.3 million USD) to develop and grow the Integrated Autonomy category in agriculture through the versatile SwarmBot platform and a breakthrough operating system network, SwarmConnect, that enables developers to create an array of innovative applications for users of the autonomous platform. “There is enormous demand for autonomy in agriculture, but today, most solutions unlock minimal potential,” said SwarmFarm CEO Andrew Bate. “The current equipment providers believe that farmers just want to be plucked from the cab or replaced by robotic arms. We believe that farmers want more. They want a technology ecosystem built to address the issues in their locality, a farm-centric system that leaves the lowest possible footprint on their fields, helping them do more with less. They want Integrated Autonomy, so that’s what we’re building.” The team at SwarmFarm defines Integrated Autonomy as a new approach to autonomy on-farm that unlocks the full potential of driverless technology by providing specialty robotics solutions with an open platform to develop on. “While many companies are making driverless tractors and developing niche robotics solutions in agriculture today, we believe that there is a third category of autonomy that combines the robot and the application within a development framework that will allow farmers to customise their equipment for their needs and allow developers to bring their innovations to life much more rapidly,” said Bate. “It’s the best of both worlds. For the farmer, we provide customised autonomy in a box. For the developer, we provide a streamlined path to the grower with a tight feedback loop.” The company’s Series A funding round was led by Emmertech, an AgTech fund […]

Innovate to Grow opportunity for WA agrifood SMEs

A new online learning program is now available to Western Australia-based small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agrifood sector, to help support their research, product development and innovation ambitions. The Innovate to Grow: Agrifood WA program is delivered by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, with support from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). Monika Szabo, SME Collaboration Manager for CSIRO, said Innovate to Grow is a great opportunity for businesses looking to turn an idea into a viable research and development (R&D) opportunity. “Innovate to Grow aims to boost WA agribusinesses’ innovation performance by supporting businesses in advancing their ideas through the innovation pipeline and educating owners on how valuable R&D can be to them through this journey,” Dr Szabo said. “With assistance from experienced researchers and innovation experts, participants can examine their technical and business challenges, explore their research, development and innovation opportunities, and develop actionable business and funding plans,” she said. DPIRD Investment Services Manager Peter May said this program presented an excellent chance for WA agrifood businesses to innovate their business. “In addition to the learning benefits from the program, participants will increase their professional network and become part of the program alumni,” Mr May said. “This program complements a range of existing agrifood industry innovation programs supported by DPIRD,” he said. Applications close Monday 13 March. The program will commence on Tuesday 4 April. More information on Innovate to Grow is available from the CSIRO agrifood WA webpage.

Fixing farmers water woes will support reduction of agricultural emissions

Jase Keen, Senior Sales Engineer – Water Utility & Country Director, New Zealand, Grundfos Grundfos is supporting the agricultural industry with reducing its carbon footprint by providing farmers with tools and technology to reduce unnecessary water use along with encouraging energy efficiency through solar pump solutions. Why are agricultural emissions such a problem? Agricultural emissions are an ongoing problem because they directly impact the environment and global warming. As global temperatures rise, New Zealand will continue to be divided by weather extremes – rain battering the west and south, and high temperatures bringing drought and fires to the north. The country’s water supply and quality are also at risk of deterioration due to the growth of polluting activities. Currently, 50 per cent of New Zealand’s gross emissions are made up of agricultural emissions, and although methane emissions from livestock make up the largest portion, this is not the only source. There are other energy intensive practices on farms that are contributing to the mix. For example, the amount of water used, and the energy needed to run irrigation pumps are among some of the most significant expenditures in agriculture. Agricultural irrigation is an intensive operation – lifting and moving water around farms with pumping systems consumes plenty of energy, and many existing water pumps rely on fossil fuel to power their systems. Worn or improperly sized pumps and fittings can also cause irrigation systems to use up more energy than necessary, for example, it is estimated that 26% of stock drinking water is lost as leakage.[1] There is a growing need for intelligent technologies that reduce water usage and energy consumption, manage the water source, and make irrigation more efficient across the board. What is the bigger picture? Supporting the reduction of emissions over the long term requires the […]

NSW Wine imbibes tech solution to tell the story of the region’s wines

Australia -Leading Australasian TradeTech company TradeWindow (NZX: TWL) is working with the New South Wales Wine Industry Association (NSW Wine) to transform how its members share the unique story behind every bottle with buyers around the world. New South Wales is Australia’s second largest wine producing state after South Australia, accounting for 32% of Australia’s $44 billion wine industry. TradeWindow’s US FDA award-winning Assure+ platform, (formerly known as Rfider), allows producers and exporters alike to engage their customers digitally by instantly connecting buyers to the information they need to make more informed purchasing decisions. John Pennington, Executive Manager at TradeWindow, says that Assure+ provides a mechanism for businesses to share their stories and prove provenance and sustainability claims. “Today’s resellers and consumers demand greater transparency and digital age convenience from the brands they choose. The Assure+ platform has been designed from the ground up to help producers capture, store, manage, and share the types of information needed to meet their transparency objectives, be they related to ESG, provenance or quality,” said Mr Pennington. The ‘catalogue’ function of Assure+ allows event organisers to select the wines they’d like to showcase at an event and make them instantly available via a unique QR Code. Wine producers control exactly what information they would like to make available and retain full control of the brand experience. NSW Wine was able to onboard 17 wineries onto the Assure+ platform in a matter of days and create its first industry event catalogue in a few seconds. Behind the scenes, the platform ensures product information is presented in the user’s chosen language and that any region-specific content is displayed accordingly. Fullglass Management Director, Simon West, says the platform has lifted the brand experience and story-telling game for its customers. “Assure+ enables our […]

SFF Futures Sustainability Snippets

The Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund supports problem-solving and innovation in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector by co-investing in initiatives that make a positive and lasting difference. Here are examples of three recent projects. Hot-house approach to greenhouse gases A new project has kicked off with the help of MPI to see if we can make commercial horticulture glasshouses carbon-neutral. Near Taupo, Hot Lime Labs is converting crop and wood waste from glasshouses into char – a solid, high- carbon material that acts as a chemical ‘sponge’ to clean up substances such as nitrates. The char is buried in the soil to create biochar, which has the potential to lock up carbon in the ground for hundreds of years.  Hot Lime Labs is receiving $707,360 over two years from MPI’s SFF Futures fund towards the $1.76 million project. The project will also use existing technology developed by Hot Lime Labs, which turns waste biomass into clean CO2. CO2 gas produced from fossil fuels is already used to boost crop yields by up to 30 percent but creating it from waste could be a game-changer for New Zealand’s mission to tackle greenhouse gases. Contact: Tijs Robinson, Chief Growth Officer,  t.robinson@hotlimelabs.co.nz, phone 021 411 466 World-first electric sprayer made in NZ Forest Lodge Orchard (FLO) could well be the world’s first fully electric, zero fossil fuel farm. Now the orchard is developing yet another world first – an electric foliage sprayer. The Otago-based cherry orchard is receiving $37,198 from MPI’s SFF Futures fund to help fast-track development and testing of the sprayer. With the help of TRS Wholesale Ltd in Blenheim, they’ve developed a prototype, which FLO is putting through its paces on New Zealand’s only electric tractor. FLO has ordered a larger electric […]

Government action needed on farmer feedback

New Zealand: DairyNZ recommends the Government makes significant changes to its emissions pricing proposal – taking on board the feedback of farmers and their representatives. In its submission, now available online, DairyNZ stands by the He Waka Eke Noa recommendations developed by the primary sector, in partnership with Government officials. The industry-good organisation does not accept the Government’s pricing proposal, Te tatai utu o nga tukunga ahuwhenua, which DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel says undermines the balance and equity He Waka Eke Noa aims to achieve. “It is unacceptable for farmers, who have made their thoughts very clear on this issue. The Government needs to take this feedback on board,” says Mr van der Poel. “DairyNZ recommends the Government adopts the He Waka Eke Noa recommendations, which represent more than two years of collaboration, including extensive negotiation with Government partners. The Government must ensure any agricultural pricing is fair and equitable for farmers. “The sector could not support any other solution.” Over the past six weeks of Government consultation, DairyNZ held 14 in-person events and 10 webinars, engaging with over 1000 dairy farmers. “Farmers expressed deep concern about the impacts of the Government’s proposal on the sector and New Zealand’s economy. Areas of concern were significant and wide-ranging, including price-setting, collectives, sequestration, reward and recognition for on-farm planting, and governance,” says Mr van der Poel. “The Government’s response to He Waka Eke Noa has missed the mark on many of these criteria. It places a financial burden on the farming community and removes the ability for agriculture to have a say in its own sustainable future.” Of the farmers DairyNZ engaged with, 99 percent think more on-farm planting should be recognised. Ninety-five percent see governance representation as important or extremely important, while 94 percent believe additional criteria should […]

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Trans-Tasman non-alcoholic beverage producers experience surge in downtime

Research from OFS shows a 12.5% reduction in non-alcoholic drinks production in Australia from April to June The impact of unplanned downtime has surged and accounted for 37% of production time The average producer made 5,550 units of drinks per hour, compared to a potential 10,413 Waste efficiency continued to improve, with just 1.32% of units lost between the start and end of production Manufacturing performance software company, OFS, today announced findings from its quarterly Non-Alcoholic Beverage Benchmark Report, which provides insights into how data can be used to improve production efficiency in the non-alcoholic beverages industry. The report analysed the production of millions of litres of kombucha, coconut water, dairy drinks and soft drinks by Australian, New Zealand, and U.S. producers between April and June this year to determine a view of ‘what good looks like’. It includes key performance benchmark data and explains why knowing overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) can make a significant impact on a producer’s bottom line. The data shows that non-alcoholic beverage production decreased by 12.5 per cent between April and June compared with the previous three months, as producers were thwarted by unplanned downtime. All up, filling lines spent 37 per cent of operational time in unplanned downtime, a rise of more than a third from the previous quarter, leaving producers with just over half of the possible yield achievable. “This might seem like grim reading, but demand for non-alcoholic beverages overall has shot up quite dramatically so it’s not too surprising to see teething issues in production,” said James Magee, CEO of OFS. “Really, this is an opportunity to double down on that demand and meet it in a smart, sustainable way. With this kind of data in hand, non-alcoholic producers can not only capitalise on the market opportunities, but potentially avoid totally […]

Fonterra appoints new managing director

Fonterra has appointed Emma Parsons as its Managing Director Strategy and Optimisation, effective from 1 August 2022. The newly developed role will have ownership and oversee the implementation of Fonterra’s strategy and plans to achieve Fonterra’s Long Term Aspirations. It will also bring a new level of focus on demand choices, and portfolio and asset management using analytics to inform decision making. Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says “Emma has a strong track record of delivering results. We’ve seen this most recently in her role as GM Capital Strategy where she led the development of the new capital structure for the Co-operative, which received overwhelming support. “Emma is passionate about Fonterra and has had a long career with us, which began working at the local factory in her summer holidays and has spanned many different parts of the Co-operative.” Prior to her role as GM Capital Strategy, Emma was CEO of Agrigate, a JV between Fonterra and Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), before the GM Responsible Dairying and roles in Brazil and Argentina where she developed the Co-operative’s export relationships and supply chain integration across Latin America. Emma has an MBA with first class honours from Massey University, a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce from Victoria University of Wellington.

Ellen Ballentine of Rainbow Park Nurseries in Drury, Auckland NZF

New Zealand’s young plant producers compete for national title

Five of the country’s most successful young plant producers are taking part in the 2022 Young Achiever competition in Christchurch from this Wednesday, vying to be named Aotearoa’s best. The competition, organised by NZ Plant Producers (NZPPI), hosted by IPPS (International Plant Propogators’ Society) and supported by the Horticentre Charitable Trust, tests competitors on the skills needed to run a successful plant production business including finance, biosecurity and health & safety. It is the chance for young plant producers from nurseries around the country to receive an invaluable boost of experience, industry insight and mentorship, plus the chance to win a $4000 fund to advance their career. The winner also gains automatic entry to the Young Horticulturalist of the Year award where they will compete against finalists from the entire horticulture sector, vying for a prize pool worth more than $20,000. Since 2016, Young Achiever winners have placed first or second in the Young Hort competition. “The Young Achiever competition showcases our industry’s most talented young plant producers. We’re proud to support the development of our industry’s future leaders and see them putting their knowledge and skills to the test,” says NZPPI People Capability Advisor Alice Schofield. “Every year the standard increases and we’re looking forward to seeing who among our five competitors takes home the winning trophy.” The Young Achiever Challenge Day is being held at Lincoln University this Wednesday (July 27th) followed by a Business Breakfast in the CBD on Thursday where the finalists will present their speeches before judges decide on then announce the winner. This is the first year Young Achiever is being held at Lincoln University. “We very much appreciate the opportunity to host at Lincoln, as it’s the perfect venue in which to encourage young people to further their career through professional development.” The […]

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