LIC extends New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards sponsorship
LIC has reaffirmed its sponsorship of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) by signing up as a national sponsor for another three years.
LIC is joining forces with Precision Farming Ltd, supplier of GIS-based systems that manage the application of farm nutrients to optimise pasture growth including fertiliser and effluent.
Precision will share its nutrient management functionality for integration with the co-op’s Minda farm management system used by 90% of dairy farmers.
LIC chief executive Wayne McNee says it would provide enhanced information for farmers about their pasture and feed availability.
“With a predominantly grass-based industry we recognise pasture management and feed optimisation is important.
“Seamless integration of farm information like fertiliser, effluent, water and irrigation will complement our existing pasture management tools in Minda.”
Precision Farming’s system records spreading and nutrient activity on 4500 farms, based on data generated by 720 of the country’s estimated 800 commercial fertiliser spreading trucks.
Precision Farming also markets fertiliser monitoring GPS equipment direct to farmers, for use on self-spreading equipment and for GPS guidance and control of tractors, sprayers and harvesters.
Brendon Cane, managing director of Precision Farming, says the partnership will make it easier, faster and more profitable for more farmers to use integrated farm management information to support better decisions.
As a contractor himself, he appreciates the benefits of reducing the time and cost, and often the guesswork, in improving pasture performance as part of overall farm profitability. “With the current economic environment, finding any inefficiencies in operating expenses is more important than ever.”
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
DairyNZ says its plantain programme continues to deliver promising results, with new data confirming that modest levels of plantain in pastures reduce nitrogen leaching, offering farmers a practical, science-backed tool to meet environmental goals.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.