Gongs for best field days site
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Through its investment arm CNH Ventures, CNH is supporting the development of the first viable compostable net wrap for bales in agriculture.
The investment in the Canadian start-up Nature’s Net Wrap aims to accelerate their mission to eliminate waste from the process of collecting and storing baled crops.
During harvesting operations based around large round bales, once a bale is formed it is generally held with a coating of net wrap and an outer layer of stretched plastic, which at the point of use is removed and eventually ends up getting burnt or placed in landfills. Farmers and contractors are limited in the reuse or recycling of plastic wraps or nets, negatively impacting their environmental footprint.
Shifting to compostable net wraps has the potential to significantly benefit farmers and the environment.
It will help reduce landfill use, haulage and disposal costs, eliminate soil contamination, improve animal safety, and reduce the risk of water contamination, likely resulting in a reduction of around 2.5 million tons of plastic waste each year.
With high growth in this market is propelled by the general demand for chemical- and plastic-free solutions, the innovation uses biopolymer material made from renewable resources.
It is said to hold up structurally and can naturally break down in the earth’s soil or alternatively be composted.
CNH’s investment is supporting the testing and validation of the solution, with one of the company’s New Holland balers being used to produce all the bales in the testing phase.
An initial product launch is expected later in the year.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.
OPINION: Should Greenpeace be stripped of their charitable status? Farmers say yes.
OPINION: After years of financial turmoil, Canterbury milk processor Synlait is now back in business.