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The Ruminant Biotech team were, from left, head of research studies Kirsty Bardoul, senior business development manager Ian South and head of intellectual assets and strategic partnerships George Reeves at Fieldays.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
Steve Chappell programme manager, New Zealand National Fieldays Society, said, "This year, we have seen entries that combine impact, innovation, and industry leadership; there are some true standouts".
With 63 participants across Prototype, Early-Stage, and Growth & Scale highlighting those shaping the future of the rural sector, five shortlisted finalists in each category had their entries judged by a panel of 18 sector experts on the first day of the annual event.
Ruminant Biotech from Auckland was the winner of the Prototype Award for its slow-release bolus called Emitless, which delivers over 75% methane reduction in cattle for 100 days from a single treatment.
Head judge Peter Dowd said, "The winner has not only demonstrated strong underpinning science and a thorough product development process but also a solid understanding of the market and regulatory environment that their product will be entering. Their IP is well considered, and effective implementation of their solution will have a drastic impact on New Zealand's emissions profile".
Oamaru's Alps2Ocean Foods Tapui Ltd won the Early-Stage Award with its product Mīti, which transforms surplus dairy calves into a world-first, shelf-stable, functional protein snack.
Head judge Shane Dooley stated that this idea provides a game-changing solution, transforming bobby calf waste from the dairy industry into a high-value, low-carbon protein product.
"By addressing a long-standing social license challenge, they're helping reshape the wellbeing narrative around calf management in New Zealand," said Dooley. "It creates value from waste, reduces emissions, and offers a commerically viable path forward for a more circular and ethical agri-food sector."
CropX, from Wellington won the Growth & Scale Award, with judges noting that CropX stood out for its exceptional ambition, strategy, and execution.
They were also impressed by the development and introduction of the Evato1 evapotranspiration sensor, a transformative addition to the CropX platform.
Head judge Brendan O'Connell said, "This innovation significantly enhances the insights available to global growers, positioning CropX at the forefront of agritech solutions that enable smarter, more sustainable farming".
Not to be outdone, Hamilton's St Paul's Collegiate School's KiwiPrune team won the Fieldays Young Innovator Award for entrants 19-years-old and younger. KiwiPrune was designed and developed as part of coursework for the AgriBusiness in Schools program to simplify the labour-intensive task of removing the plastic clips used to secure the Kiwi fruit vine.
The device is designed to remove clips from kiwifruit on orchards, improving productivity, reducing strain, and enhancing sustainability.
Head judge Jenny Cameron said, "The judges saw significant potential for use in kiwifruit orchards both in NZ and overseas, as well as in other horticulture and viticulture applications".
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Celebrating 50 years of being in business in 2025 and specialising in the design and manufacture of an extensive range for the rural industries, Feilding-based McKee Plastics was at Fieldays highlighting a range of feeding products.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: After hopping from one event to another at Fieldays, Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard would have been hoping for a rest.
There's no doubt that vehicle manufacturers at Fieldays saw a steady stream of rural folk treading the boards.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
