Innovation takes centre stage at Fieldays 2025 awards event
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
An agribusiness, helping to turn a long-standing animal welfare and waste issue into a high-value protein stream for the dairy and red meat sector, has picked up a top innovation award at Fieldays.
Miti makes a protein snack from New Zealand grass-fed young beef with honey and touts its business model as one that could deliver more value with less environmental impact. It won the Early-Stage Award.
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," says Dooley.
Miti works with farmers to raise bobby calves to 12 months old then use their meat in Miti snack bars.
Miti founder Daniel Carson says he was blown away by winning the award.
“It’s an incredible honour, especially knowing how many bold, innovative technology ventures are out here trying to make a difference.
“We didn’t come to Fieldays for awards, we came to share an idea, to invite feedback, and to kōrero with the people who this matters most to - farmers, food lovers, and the next generation of innovators.”
Carson thanked the Fieldays Innovation awards team, the judges, and the many people who have backed them.
“This is just one small step on a much bigger journey. We’re here to reshape the red meat value chain, for the good of people, animals, and the land. Let’s get to work, only 2 million bobbies to go,” says Carson.
He also thanked the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Bioresource Processing Alliance (BPA) AgResearch and “all the people that have supported us on the journey”.
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The long running trade dispute between NZ and Canada appears to be over.
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There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's move to put the brakes on local authorities to do any more work on planning changes ahead of major changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA).
Rural health advocates say the Government's decision to establish a new medical school at the University of Waikato augurs well for the rural sector.
People affected by the recent two severe flood events in the Tasman district are weary and exhausted trying to deal with the devastation on their farms and orchards, according to the head of the Rural Support Trust (RST) in the region.
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