App helps get best out of pasture
Ever wondered what the financial result would be if you let pasture weeds get away on you? There's now a tool to find the answer.
The industry association for animal health and crop protection companies has appointed a new president.
Gavin Kerr, Country Manager for agrichemical company Nufarm, was appointed Agcarm’s president at its annual meeting last week.
Kerr says he would like to see one important change implemented before the end of his three-year term: fast-tracked products to the New Zealand market.
“Farmers and growers need and deserve access to the best and latest products. But New Zealand is missing out on new, more effective treatments due to delays that discourage investment in introducing these technologies.
“Delays in the regulation of field trials and research means that our farmers and growers are missing out on cutting edge products. These delays can set back projects for two years, so undermine the viability of having domestic research and development programmes.
“In New Zealand, we require agrichemical companies to invest in trials, which can cost up to $500,000 to register a product. The delays mean that it is not economically viable to introduce some products, making it difficult to find replacements for older and less environmentally friendly products.”
Kerr says New Zealand growers bear the cost through limited access to these products and lost production.
“We must ensure that New Zealand farmers have access to the most effective science and solutions that are sustainable and add value.”
Kerr manages the Nufarm New Zealand business and was first elected to the Agcarm Board in 2016.
Rural trader PGG Wrightson has revised its operating earnings guidance, saying trading conditions have deteriorated since the last market update in February.
It's been a bumper season for maize and other supplements in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Leading farmers from around New Zealand connected to share environmental stories and inspiration and build relationships at the Dairy Environment Leaders (DEL) national forum in Wellington last month.
AgriZeroNZ, a joint venture fast-tracking emissions reduction tools for farmers, is pouring $5 million in a biotech company to develop a low emissions farm pasture with increased productivity gains.
Fonterra is teaming up with wealth app provider Sharesies to make it easier for its farmer shareholders to trade co-op shares among themselves.
Te Awamutu dairy farmers Doug, Penny, Josh and Bayley Storey have planted more than 25,000 native trees on the family farm, adding to a generations-old native forest.