25 years on - where are they now?
To celebrate 25 years of the Hugh Williams Memorial Scholarship, Ravensdown caught up with past recipients to see where their careers have taken them, and what the future holds for the industry.
The Government is co-investing in a $22 million programme aimed at reducing agricultural greenhouse gases and nitrate leaching, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has announced.
The Government has committed $7.3 million over the course of seven years to the N-Vision NZ programme through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund, O’Connor says.
He says the programme focuses on three technology streams: N-Retain, N-Test, and N-Bio Boost.
“For our future we need innovative tools and technologies to help farmers reduce nitrogen fertiliser use on pastoral farms while maintaining production and profitability.”
Ravensdown is leading the programme, and will contribute $11 million, with Lincoln University and Plant & Food Research providing research expertise.
Ravensdown and Lincoln University will contribute in-kind funding to the value of $3.8 million.
O’Connor says the products and technologies developed through the N-Vision NZ programme will be made widely available under commercial terms.
“This will ensure that the environmental and economic benefits extend to the whole of New Zealand and not just Ravensdown’s customers,” he says.
“This Government is focussed on helping farmers reduce their environmental footprint.”
O’Connor says the work aligns with the sustainability goals of the Fit for a Better World food and fibre sector roadmap.
“Partnerships like N-Vision NZ will help us meet these goals and maintain our economic strength.
“Finding new methods to take action for the health of our soils, waterways, and climate will pave the way towards a healthier future for us all.”
Farmers appear to be backing the Government's recent Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms announcement.
For the first time, all the big names in agricultural drone technology are being brought together under one marquee at the National Fieldays.
Fonterra has announced an improved third quarter performance – with a profit after tax of $1.15 billion, up $119 million on the same period last year.
The Fieldays Innovation Awards competition has attracted a diverse and impressive array of innovations from across the primary industries, highlighting the growing importance of technology shaping the future of farming.
Coming to the fore following the carnage of Cyclone Gabrielle, Starlink became well known for providing internet access even in NZ's most inaccessible places.
From this winter farmers will have a greater choice of feed types and blend options than ever before, thanks to Farmlands' purchase of animal nutrition company SealesWinslow.
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