New pasture guide launched to support farmers in a changing climate
A new publication has been launched that offers a comprehensive and up-to-date resource on commercially available grazing pasture species in New Zealand.
Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) funding was announced today to pay for half of a $14 million research programme to deliver better seeds and plant species for farmers.
Proprietary seed company PGG Wrightson Seeds is leading the programme, working with a number of research organisations.
The PGP is committing $7.15 million over six years for the programme worth $14.6 million in total.
MPI Director-General Wayne McNee announced the funding for the new Seed and Nutritional Technology Development programme.
"The Seed and Nutritional Technology Development programme works on many fronts to ensure farmers will have access to the best pasture and forage crop technologies," McNee says.
"We are pleased to see innovative approaches that will address current challenges such as improving feed conversion efficiency, as well as taking the opportunity to mitigate environmental challenges such as soil erosion and drought stress."
Dr Derek Woodfield, general manager – research and development of PGG Wrightson Seeds, welcomes the funding announcement and says: "The PGP funding will allow PGG Wrightson Seeds and its research partners to focus on delivering a suite of new technologies that will keep New Zealand farmers internationally competitive."
Primary Industries Minister David Carter has welcomed the successful PGP bid which lifts the total allocated to around $600 million.
"In just three years, the PGP programme has worked with industry to develop some of the most exciting primary sector research and innovation proposals New Zealand has ever seen," says Carter.
"Co-funding of these projects by government and industry is what PGP is all about – a joint commitment to growing our economy through greater investment in R&D."
The PGP programmes currently underway cover sectors including wool, red meat, dairy, seafood, manuka honey and forestry.
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
Funding is proving crucial for predator control despite a broken model reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.