Trials show promise for regenerative farming
Regenerative farming trials in Gisborne, in partnership with Woolworths, LeaderBrand, and Plant & Food Research, are uncovering promising opportunities for sustainable vegetable farming in New Zealand.
Woolworths supermarket in Temora, New South Wales. Photo by Bidgee - Own work. via Wikimedia Commons.
Applications are now open for the Woolworths Agriculture Business Scholarship Programme, available to young Kiwis working in the primary industries sector.
Now in its ninth year, the programme is an industry-supported course that provides an insight into all aspects of the food chain from the producer to the supermarket.
A number of New Zealand candidates have been successful in entering the scholarship programme over the years, including last year’s intake.
“Learning about the differences and similarities between New Zealand and Australian production systems from people on the ground who all had different and interesting views on the future of farming was useful and rewarding,” says Erica van Reenen, from Beef and Lamb NZ, a 2014 Kiwi participant.
The 12-day course offers participants the chance to gain a broad, practical and academic perspective on the business of agriculture from key industry leaders and senior Woolworths’ managers.
The course will cover a broad range of topics including, business strategy, supply chain management, and sustainability and environmental issues, and assist those who are studying or working in agriculture in accelerating their careers.
“This is a great opportunity for young Kiwi farmers, and others involved in agriculture, to head over to Australia and participate in this first-class agricultural programme,” says Countdown managing director Steve Donohue.
Applications are open to people aged between 20–35 years old (as at January 1, 2015) and currently employed in the agricultural industry or in the second or further year of study in an agricultural faculty at a registered tertiary institution. Woolworths will meet the costs of participation, as outlined on the website.
Participants must be available to attend the entire course from Monday, August 24 to Friday, September 42015 in Sydney.
For more information, visit www.woolworths.com.au, applications close on Monday, May 25.
Red meat farmers are welcoming Labour’s plan to review the Emissions Trading Scheme and not to campaign on pricing agricultural emissions.
Where any worker in the kiwifruit industry is mistreated, we expect the authorities to take action.
Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers arable chair, Bevan Lill, said Beef + Lamb NZ data indicated that for the last six years, the average arable return on investment was about 0.8% while inflation ran about 4% - so the average arable farm was going backwards at about 3% a year.
Seed and grain companies share the concerns of arable farmers about the viability of their sector, says Seed and Grain New Zealand chief executive Dr Sarah Clark.
The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) says unnecessary changes to New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) will seriously erode investor confidence and result in significant reductions in forest planting rates.
For the first time in a quarter of a century, Federated Farmers has something positive to say about the Labour Party’s climate change policy leading into a general election.

OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…