Rewarding farmers who embrace sustainability
Winners of DairyNZ’s Sustainability and Stewardship awards in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards have their eyes firmly fixed on progressing a positive future for New Zealand dairy.
DairyNZ’s latest online tool, Farm Gauge, has been developed with the help of dairy farmers to help other farmers assess their business, identify areas to focus on and support them to take action.
“Farm Gauge has been built alongside farmers who have piloted and tested it, to help us ensure we have a great tool for other dairy farmers,” says Paul Bird, DairyNZ senior project manager.
“It looks at eight areas of the farm system – strategy, feed, finance, health/safety and wellbeing, herd management, people, environment and infrastructure,” said Bird.
“The Farm Gauge process takes farmers through each section and helps identify areas to improve, by offering advice, resources and actions.”
Farm Gauge is modelled off DairyNZ’s Whole Farm Assessment approach, which has been adapted so farmers can carry out their own farm assessment. Developed in 2010, the Whole Farm Assessment analyses strengths, weaknesses, risks and opportunities across all components of the business.
Bird said because dairy farmers have a huge scope of responsibilities across the farm, Farm Gauge is designed to help select which business areas to prioritise.
“This will help farmers feel less overwhelmed and deliver businesses which are more profitable, productive, efficient and enjoyable. We’d love to hear what farmers think about Farm Gauge, as we continue developing it.”
Farmers can use Farm Gauge at www.dairynz.co.nz/farmgauge
