Friday, 06 December 2019 19:05

Farmers excited by regenerative farming

Written by  Staff Reporters

A NZ On Air-funded online video highlights farmer success at regenerative farming.

The video titled ‘Growing a Revolution’, created by Christchurch video production company Frank Film, covers a recent regenerative farming field day in Leeston, Canterbury.

More than 70 agriculture professionals showed up to the day held by cropping farmer Simon Osborne to learn about the potential environmental and financial benefits of regenerative farming.

Many farmers expressed how they were eager to take what they had learnt and put it into practice.

Osborne is passionate about regenerative farming, growing as many as 15 plants in a paddock for better soil functionality.

He says he keeps the ground covered at all times, with no tilling, and this helps to keep carbon in the soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The practice may also reduce costs. Regenerative farming consultant Jono Frew says he has walked on to farms and saved them 30% on inputs. 

Osborne says he hasn’t used broadacre insecticides since 1992. One regenerative farmer at the field day says he hasn’t put on fertilizer in 4-5 year. 

Another regenerative farmer expressed significant reductions in irrigation, reducing irrigation to just six weeks. 

Watch the video below.

If the video's not loading, watch it here.

More like this

SNAs will go - eventually

Despite some earlier confusion around the exact timing, the new Government is moving to reform the way local bodies implement Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) rules on farmland.

Fish returns to farm streams

Environmental work on-farm helps native fish return to streams, that’s what Aparima dairy farmer Ewen Mathieson is discovering.

Featured

National

NZ-EU FTA enters into force

Trade Minister Todd McClay says Kiwi exporters will be $100 million better off today as the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement…

Machinery & Products

Factory clocks up 60 years

There can't be many heavy metal fans who haven’t heard of Basildon, situated about 40km east of London and originally…

PM opens new Power Farming facility

Morrinsville based Power Farming Group has launched a flagship New Zealand facility in partnership with global construction manufacturer JCB Construction.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Cut with care

OPINION: The new government has clearly signalled big cuts across the public service.

Bubble burst!

OPINION: Your canine crusader is not surprised by the recent news that New Zealand plant-based ‘fake meat’ business is in…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter