Farming smarter with technology
The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry professionals from across the country.
Once again, the sharp minds at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton were the 2023 Young Innovators of the Year Winners at this year’s Fieldays.
CAPRA Skin, conceived, designed and manufactured by students Lucy, Emma, Mackenzie and Lochie is a specially- formulated goat’s milk lip balm.
Early in the process, the group realised that the core ingredient offered many natural benefits, including vitamin A, fatty acids and moisturising agents.
These, alongside the other main ingredients of kawakawa oil and bee venom, all have cell regeneration qualities.
In developing the lip balm, the team recognised that many teenagers suffer from acne and use medication to clear up the problem. Unfortunately, a major side effect is drying out and cracking of the lips. The students looked at the current lip balm market but couldn’t find a lip balm that was specifically targeted towards teenagers with dry and cracked lips.
From a development perspective – and wanting to incorporate New Zealand ingredients – the group decided to use Kawakawa oil, which is a native to New Zealand. The ingredient is nongreasy, helps heal skin conditions and seals wounds. It also restores hydration, while reducing itching and redness.
On the marketing front, the students decided to call the product Capra Skin. The name originates from the Latin word for goat, which more recently is used as the acronym for the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) – which is the impression they want customers to feel, having used the product.
There are plans to expand the product offering beyond lip balm to an extensive range of skincare products. Follow the journey on Instagram at capra.skin and other social media outlets.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the 2025 Fieldays has been one of more positive he has attended.
A fundraiser dinner held in conjunction with Fieldays raised over $300,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
Recent results from its 2024 financial year has seen global farm machinery player John Deere record a significant slump in the profits of its agricultural division over the last year, with a 64% drop in the last quarter of the year, compared to that of 2023.
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.
The Fieldays Innovation Award winners have been announced with Auckland’s Ruminant Biotech taking out the Prototype Award.
Following twelve years of litigation, a conclusion could be in sight of Waikato’s controversial Plan Change 1 (PC1).
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