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Thomas Chin, general manager of the New Zealand Plant Breeders Association.
A proposed recycling levy on commonly used polyethylene woven seed sacks and bags is likely to come into effect next year.
Meanwhile, the seed industry continues to investigate sustainable packaging options. Under an amendment to the Waste Minimisation Act, manufacturers who sell agricultural products with plastic packaging, including polypropylene (PPE) seed sacks and bags, will be required to pay a fee to an accredited organisation to collect and recycle farm plastic packaging.
General manager of the New Zealand Plant Breeders Research Association Thomas Chin says the association is committed to sustainability and industry best practices to achieving official waste minimisation obligations. He says the Government's proposed farm plastic waste levy will have significant ramifications for users of polypropylene seed sacks and bags.
"Our understanding is that by the middle of next year there will be a mandatory regime in place for the recycling and recovery of plastic seed sacks and bags, with a compulsory levee charged to the importer or brand owner of the bags."
Imminent requirements include companies importing, manufacturing and supplying bags to pay a levy on small seed sacks and bulk bags used domestically. The levy would be paid at the border or first point of handling into New Zealand to ensure 100% capture and pay for the colletion and recycling. Most if not all of New Zealand's plastic bags are manufactured abroad and imported into the country.
Chin says that for several years the New Zealand seed industry has been evaluating sustainable bag options such as multi-wall paper bags which are widely used internationally.
He says there are some physical challenges, such as robustness and moisture barrier properties, which are especially important for the storage of endophytic seeds.
After five years giving a new lease of life to vineyard posts, Marlborough-based company Repost is getting its own upcycle, in a joint venture with timber manufacturer OneForty One, which mills micronised copper azoleated (MCA) posts at its Kaituna Mill.
Having already hit the headlines for recycling broken 2.4 metre vineyard posts into 1.8 and 1.6 metre, half and quarter posts for agriculture, Repost recently hit the milestone of one million posts recycled, diverting the CCA treated posts from landfill.
Farm plastic recycler, Agrecovery’s Green-farms Product Stewardship Scheme (GPSS) has been officially accredited under the Waste Minimisation Act (2008).
The two main plastic collection programmes in New Zealand's primary sector - Agrecovery and Plasback - have agreed to work together.
New Zealand agriculture’s effort to recycle its waste plastic is a good news story.
On the eve of his departure from Federated Farmers board, Richard McIntyre is thanking farmers for their support and words of encouragement during his stint as a farmer advocate.
A project reducing strains and sprains on farm has won the Innovation category in the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards 2025.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other sector organisations, has launched a national survey to understand better the impact of facial eczema (FE) on farmers.
One of New Zealand's latest and largest agrivoltaics farm Te Herenga o Te Rā is delivering clean renewable energy while preserving the land's agricultural value for sheep grazing under the modules.
Global food company Nestle’s chair Paul Bulcke will step down at its next annual meeting in April 2026.
Brendan Attrill of Caiseal Trust in Taranaki has been announced as the 2025 National Ambassador for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at in Wellington this evening.
