Wednesday, 27 March 2024 11:55

A significant fertiliser breakthrough?

Written by  David Anderson
Owen Jennings. Owen Jennings.

Former ACT MP and Federated Farmers president Owen Jennings believes he's come across a new fertilising method in Australia that yields "outstanding results".

"In my travels I have always looked out for new farming methods for New Zealand, but this is the most spectacular and promising option I have encountered," Jennings says.

"It takes using natural, organics to a whole level with results that gobsmacked me. Frankly, I doubted the numbers until I found they were measured and verified, independently, by CSIRO in Australia."

He told Rural News that cattle on this fertilised pasture that were consistently achieving 1.2kg daily weight gains are now achieving 2.95kg.

"What is equally notable is that parasite loading was substantially reduced," Jennings adds.

"Wheat yield increases have been equally dramatic with the new fertiliser producing 5228kg a hectare compared to a control area of 3200kg and another block using a standard NPKS mix at 4132kg."

He says this result was achieved at a lower cost than the typical fertiliser mix and also included a massive drop in striped rust. Jennings says on a 1 to 10 scale, the new fertiliser came in at 1 while the standard mix could only attain a 6 mark.

"This new method involves a blend of ground down minerals - up to 90 separate minerals including some I had not even heard of - applied to a compost which is then spread at low rates once a year," he explains.

"The thinking is based on feeding the soil biota rather than the plant. The scientist behind the product, who has spent many years researching the option, says feeding the soil adequately in a balanced manner means the plants will be healthy and will optimise yields."

Jennings says one of the big advantages for him is how the fertiliser sequesters significant amounts of carbon in the soil. "On a Queensland vegetable growing property organic matter in the soil has gone from 0.58% to now sitting at 2.61% after 2 years of farming, which equates to 90 metric tonnes of carbon per hectare of 330 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectate," he explains. "Soil health is radically improved and plant life is improved - so animals and humans using grass and crops all benefit."

Jennings adds other examples show a tomato crop improved from 130 tonnes per hectare to 290 tonnes, sugar cane from 130 tonnes to 290 tonnes, onions from 30 to 75 tonnes, ginger from 22 tonnes to 57 tonnes.

"These results are unbelievable without the CSIRO verification."

Jennings says he's very keen to get this fertiliser system into New Zealand.

Want To Know More?

Interested farmers can contact Owen Jennings at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or ph 027 442 4933.

More like this

Follow the leaders

OPINION: Farmers are urging Kiwi banks and their overseas parent companies to follow the lead of America's six biggest banks and urgently withdraw from the Net Zero Banking Alliance.

Banks urged to withdraw from alliance

Farmers are calling for Kiwi banks and their overseas parent companies need to follow the lead of America's six biggest banks and urgently withdraw from the Net Zero Banking Alliance.

Visa changes to ease pressure on farmers

Changes to migrant visa settings announced last month should take a lot of pressure off farmers in the new season, says Federated Farmers immigration spokesman Richard McIntyre.

Featured

Ready to walk the talk

DairyNZ's Kirsty Verhoek ‘walks the talk’, balancing her interests in animal welfare, agricultural science and innovative dairy farming.

Dairy earnings bounce back

"We at Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and you at Dairy News said over six months ago that the dairy industry would bounce back, and it has done so with interest.”

$10 milk price still on

Whole milk powder prices on Global Dairy Trade (GDT) remains above long run averages and a $10/kgMS milk price for the season remains on the card, says ASB senior economist Chris Tennent-Brown.

National

New insights into rural fire risk

New student research from the University of Canterbury in partnership with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) could improve knowledge…

Embrace mechanical weeding now

Mechanical weeding is exploding in Europe because increasing resistance means they have "run out of herbicide", says Canterbury agronomist Charles…

China still a good option

The ongoing rise of the Chinese middle class will drag up demand for New Zealand products there in the future.

UAE FTA signed

New Zealand’s free trade deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has now been signed.

Machinery & Products

Batten Buddy - cleverly simple

Stopping livestock from escaping their environment is a “must do” for any farmers or landowners and at times can seem…

U10 Pro Highland a step up

A few weeks after driving the CF MOTO U10 Pro ‘entry level’ model, we’ve had a chance to test the…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Drunk on power!

OPINION: The end-of-year booze-up at the posh Northern Club in Auckland must have been a beauty, as the legal 'elite'…

Time has come?

OPINION: It divides opinion, but the House has passed the first reading of the Gene Technology Bill.

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter