The Real-Time Water Quality project is a grass-roots idea, supported by farmers, catchment groups, and irrigation schemes. Lead by The AgriBusiness Group; we established a team with a diverse skillset – farm systems, nutrient and water quality/hydrology knowledge. This 12-month project is one of 12 successful projects funded through Our Land and Water Rural Professionals Fund.

What are the potential benefits of adopting a dispersed forage feeding approach? This approach is being tested on a North Canterbury farm. The kale crop is growing well, meaning there is plenty of feed across the farm. Harvesting of the crop has begun, as has grazing in-situ. Follow-up measurements will be undertaken in the next couple of months. This fascinating update is from Our Land and Water facebook .

Real-time water quality monitoring is a new technology with few resources to support farmer usage. This project has been testing how it can be applied in practice, by establishing three shallow groundwater nitrate monitoring sites on Wainono Farm, a dairy farm, one self-funded by the farmer. The range in nitrate recordings is not large, but the dynamic nature of the nitrate concentrations is clear.

Increasing global interest and demand for alternative or plant-based protein has many implications for Aotearoa New Zealand. These may be positive (a potential decrease in GHGs and nutrient runoff, the establishment of new markets for new products) and negative (disruption to the economics of milk and meat products).

The AgriBusiness Group is really pleased to be attending the Agricultural Field Days Ecuador an event that has been organised by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE)

In mid-2020 , which seems like an age ago now, Donaghys started conversations with us about running and delivering an extension programme with dairy farmers across New Zealand.

As I near completion of my summer internship at The AgriBusiness Group and prepare to return to student life at Lincoln University, I reflect on the value and relevance of today’s agricultural degree – specifically for the environmental management of farm systems. This year, I will undertake my fourth and final year of a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) with a Major in Environmental Management.

Sheffield Deer Farmer Stu Stokes – talks flooding, covid, mental health & navigating legislation

It’s been a tough one. A year of significant challenges has hit many Cantabrian farmers. Chatting to Stu Stokes and daughter Holly, I came to understand just how hard. Over the past two years Stu has lost a brother to cancer, lost his best mate, faced Covid market challenges, dealt with flooding and huge winds and to top it off the “bloody Sheffield Pub burnt down!”. Through all this, legislation changes requiring implementation of a Farm Environmental Plan (FEP), which is audited, is actually helping Stu with the direction and management of his business, “…to do nothing isn’t an option”.

For the past 15 years, farmers have generally tackled compliance, environmental and social problems by themselves, occasionally engaging the help of a consultant. However, the issues arising in our environment is not from a single activity but a collection of activities. The Essential Freshwater Package has initiated a change, with focus on catchment context and catchment management.

What would you do? Due to prolonged drought, the only feed you have on your farm is a few paddocks of kale. You have multiple classes of stock to feed and not enough break fences or space to feed them all in-situ.