NZ kiwifruit sector on alert for mysterious Italian disease
New Zealand's kiwifruit industry is on alert following reports of a mystery disease that is sweeping through Italian orchards.
Farmers should stop treating agricultural pests as a problem, and instead realise they are a symptom of an unsustainable farming method, says a visiting expert in ‘regenerative’ agriculture.
Dr Jonathan Lundgren, founder of Ecdysis Foundation and Blue Dasher Farm, visited New Zealand for an international workshop on conservation biological control of invertebrate pests, hosted by the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University.
He told workshop participants that healthy ecosystems do not have the pest problems that are present in ‘monoculture’ agriculture.
“If you have a pest problem in your field, that’s your field telling you that something is out of whack. If all you are doing is reacting to a pest problem, then you are never going to get ahead; you’ve got to solve the underlying problem, not just the symptoms.”
The underlying problem is lack of biodiversity, Lundgren said. “The way we approach our food production is much too simplified.”
Instead, he said, regenerative agriculture solves pest problems and is more profitable.
Regenerative agriculture goes beyond sustainable agriculture by trying to regenerate degraded land and ecosystems rather than simply sustaining what is left. Farmers who follow regenerative methods use few if any pesticides, don’t till the land, practise crop and stock rotation that mimic natural processes, and encourage biodiversity.
Lundgren said one study found more diverse and more populous insect communities in cow dung from regenerative farms, including more predators of pest species (mostly flies).
The Government is calling on rural New Zealanders to share their views on proposed regulations designed to improve the management of farm plastic waste.
For many urban New Zealanders, stepping into Pāmu’s Pinta dairy farm near Taupo last month was the first time they had had the chance to experience farm life up close.
After tasting 240 New Zealand made cheeses, judges have bestowed medals upon 199 of the entries.
Bay of Plenty’s top share farmers Andre and Natalie Meier are no strangers to the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards winning circle.
Afimilk, a global dairy farm management solutions provider, has appointed Justin Miller as the new general manager for New Zealand and Australia.
Investing in your people and in your own leadership skills is the path to success for a farming business, says economist Shamubeel Eaqub.
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