Innovation takes centre stage at Fieldays 2025 awards event

Steve Chappell programme manager, New Zealand National Fieldays Society, said, "This year, we have seen entries that combine impact, innovation, and industry leadership; there are some true standouts".

With 63 participants across Prototype, Early-Stage, and Growth & Scale highlighting those shaping the future of the rural sector, five shortlisted finalists in each category had their entries judged by a panel of 18 sector experts on the first day of the annual event.

Ruminant Biotech from Auckland was the winner of the Prototype Award for its slow-release bolus called Emitless, which delivers over 75% methane reduction in cattle for 100 days from a single treatment.

Head judge Peter Dowd said, "The winner has not only demonstrated strong underpinning science and a thorough product development process but also a solid understanding of the market and regulatory environment that their product will be entering. Their IP is well considered, and effective implementation of their solution will have a drastic impact on New Zealand's emissions profile".

Oamaru's Alps2Ocean Foods Tapui Ltd won the Early-Stage Award with its product Mīti, which transforms surplus dairy calves into a world-first, shelf-stable, functional protein snack.

Head judge Shane Dooley stated that this idea provides a game-changing solution, transforming bobby calf waste from the dairy industry into a high-value, low-carbon protein product.

"By addressing a long-standing social license challenge, they're helping reshape the wellbeing narrative around calf management in New Zealand," said Dooley. "It creates value from waste, reduces emissions, and offers a commerically viable path forward for a more circular and ethical agri-food sector."

CropX, from Wellington won the Growth & Scale Award, with judges noting that CropX stood out for its exceptional ambition, strategy, and execution.

They were also impressed by the development and introduction of the Evato1 evapotranspiration sensor, a transformative addition to the CropX platform.

Head judge Brendan O'Connell said, "This innovation significantly enhances the insights available to global growers, positioning CropX at the forefront of agritech solutions that enable smarter, more sustainable farming".

Not to be outdone, Hamilton's St Paul's Collegiate School's KiwiPrune team won the Fieldays Young Innovator Award for entrants 19-years-old and younger. KiwiPrune was designed and developed as part of coursework for the AgriBusiness in Schools program to simplify the labour-intensive task of removing the plastic clips used to secure the Kiwi fruit vine.

The device is designed to remove clips from kiwifruit on orchards, improving productivity, reducing strain, and enhancing sustainability.

Head judge Jenny Cameron said, "The judges saw significant potential for use in kiwifruit orchards both in NZ and overseas, as well as in other horticulture and viticulture applications".