Data sharing initiative wins national award for saving farmers time
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
Farms are expected to benefit from experimental work by the Department of Conservation and Fonterra as they jointly trial floating wetlands in Waikato.
Developed by Massey University, the wetlands consist of native wetland plants in buoyant ‘rafts’ that sit on the water surface. These are capable of removing large amounts of nutrients: the rafts filter water in drains and runoff before it enters waterways.
This ‘Living Water’ project has located floating wetlands in drains around Lake Areare (near Ngaruawahia) to monitor the technology. The drains are “nutrient enriched”, the trial partners say.
DOC ranger Michael Paviour, leading the work in Waikato, says good early results are seen in the trial.
“The wetlands have only been installed for a short time, but initial tests and rapid plant growth show they’re doing a good job of removing nutrients from the water.
“The floating wetlands are not a ‘silver bullet’ for raising water quality but, used with silt traps and riparian planting, they are practical and effective.”
Living Water leader Tim Brandenburg says the floating wetlands could help farmers manage nutrient levels in ponds and drains.
“Floating wetlands don’t just remove nutrients from waterways, they also attract birds and insects and the grasses can be harvested as a feed supplement.”
The trial will run until mid 2017 and if the good results continue the floating wetlands could be in waterways nationwide.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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