Fieldays calls for entries to 2026 Innovation Awards
Entries have opened for the 2026 Fieldays Innovation Awards.
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.
Matt McRae, a farmer from Mokoreta in Southland who runs a sheep, beef and dairy support business alongside a sheep stud, has been elected to the Beef +Lamb NZ Board as a farmer director.
Ravensdown's next evolution in smart farming technology, HawkEye Pro, was awarded the Technology Section Award at the Southern Field Days Farm Innovation Awards in February 2026.
While mariners may recognise a “dog watch” as a two-hour shift on a ship, the Good Dog Work Watch is quite a different concept and the clever creation of Southland siblings Grace (9) and Archer Brown (7), both pupils at Riverton Primary School.
Philip and Lyneyre Hooper of the Hoopman Family Trust have tonight been named the Taranaki Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
We are not a bunch of sky cowboys. That was one of the key messages from the chairperson of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA) Kent Weir, speaking at an education day at Feilding aerodrome for 25 policymakers and regulators from central and local government and other rural professionals.
New Zealand's dairy and beef industries say they welcome the announcement that the Government will invest $10.49 million in the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme.

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