Read through some of the latest news and events from Hawke's Bay Future Farming.
Partnership with QEII Covenant Ensures the Protection of Unique Indigenous Forest.
Microsoft Deal Raises Questions about the Long-Term Viability of Soil Carbon Offsetting.
PGG Wrightson Seeds Significant Contribution Award at the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science.
Carbon Positive, McCains Global visit
Apply to become a HBFFCT Trustee
Open fieldwalk – Wednesday 6 September (1pm - 3pm) – free registration via Eventbrite.
HortPlus is a New Zealand-based agricultural technology firm who has been delivering digital solutions to the primary sector for over fifteen years.
Winter cover crops were planted in late April after sweetcorn was harvested
Stuff has published a great article on the regen ag learning experience out at Mike Hunsberger's 750ha sheep & beef farm, Karaka, out on Kahuranaki Road towards Elsthorpe.
The Carbon Positive project has now completed the first of six seasons and in this season grew sweetcorn for McCains, testing three different growing systems.
The Carbon Positive project has been trialing commercial planting technologies that allow crops to be planted into soils with mulch cover.
Pan Pac Forest Products is pleased to support Hawke’s Bay Future Farming Trust’s work to champion sustainable agriculture in Hawke's Bay.
Growing the same stuff, the same way is not likely to be a viable future strategy. That's not a dictate of ideology, it's a reflection of trade realities and coming to terms with nature.
EPODS (well-equipped 20 foot shipping containers) are purpose built for immediate recovery and care, to span the time gap between a disaster hitting an area and the arrival of first responders.
Huge silt recovery project underway. Could require removing 5-6 million cubic metres of silt, out of 12 million deposited.
Board sorting out what HB's recovery costs, paths and priorities will be. HB hort sector could face $3.5b loss by 2030.
We recently harvested our first trial crop, about 16 metric tonnes of sweetcorn, grown at the ‘MicroFarm’ of our project partner, LandWISE.
Organic producers like George Bostock praise new legislation, expected to ease overseas market access.
Gisborne company developing high-end uses for wool.
Soil experts Phil Schofield and Phyllis Tichinin apply regenerative principles to soil recovery.
Landcare Research presenting webinars on remote sensing tech uses in farming.
MPI has just published a very comprehensive guide on Cyclone Gabrielle recovery assistance.
Farmstrong’s core advice about maintaining farmer wellbeing reinforced by excellent new book.
LandWISE's Dan Bloomer interviewed by rural podcast series, REX.
Future Farming Trust’s soil consultant Phil Schofield talks sediment and revegetation.
Carbon Positive test farm largely unaffected by Cyclone. Sweetcorn crop looking good.
Severe Weather Emergency Legislation Bill is designed to expedite work required for immediate remediation of Gabrielle impacts.
Heavy losses, income streams disrupted, sources of help.
Huge numbers thrown around, expecting Gov't cost to easily exceed Christchurch earthquake's $13 billion.
"Apple Horror" headlines Rural News, with nearly half of HB's orchards damaged.
Practical advice (LandWISE) and academic research (Science Media Centre) on dealing with silt.
Message from Trust Chair, Phil Schofield
A six year Carbon Positive project, officially announced today, to investigate regenerative farming principles in NZ cropping systems. Led by Trust and LandWISE.
Massive glasshouse production for export to Japan.
Campaign promotes high value end uses for strong wool.
Napier Port releases second climate change related disclosure report.
HBRIC’s investments are intended to be profit making, which would not rule out potential ag investments behind the farm gate aimed at improve farm profitability on a scalable basis.
Trust report informs HBRC's 50-year water assessment.
Considering what the industry went through last season, and the poor weather thus far this season, some would question whether any optimism is warranted for the region’s growers.
From Australia, an excellent e-newsletter rounding-up research, trials and other pertinent information on regenerative farming practices and carbon farming.
Ewan McGregor proposes a winning silvopasture strategy.
Food exports up, but at what cost to farmers?
Our Port and its sustainability commitment is a critical part of our farm to plate story.
Patoka beef farmer selected for ‘Informing New Zealand Beef’ (INZB) programme.
Innovative weed control project launches in Motueka, why not HB?
Look inside the process of changing iconic brand's viticulture systems.
The Trust’s Annual Report for year ending 30 June 2022 now online.
The Trust’s newsletter team would appreciate your advice.
The complexity and controversiality of water policy decisions seem to guarantee a slow pace.
HB Future Farming Trust made a submission to MPI and MfE on their consultation on the future Emissions Trading Scheme. We focused entirely on awarding farmers credit for soil carbon sequestration.
VINE (viticulture, innovation, networking, and excellence) group aims to identify and share best practices in vineyards.
Scott puts improving soil health as the highest farming priority.
Forest products company 'walking the talk' on sustainability.
The Trust welcomes CHB organic dairy farmer as a Board member.
Bay Blue's Marian Hirst discusses her company's experience wit the scheme
Here's core info from recent 'regen basics' field day the Trust co-sponsored
HB Fed Farmers' Jim Galloway talks about record rainfall impacts
Take a look at the innovative approach of Springhill Orchard in CHB
Eyes are on Massey University research on feed additive that reduces methane emissions.
Satisfy your curiosity about regen agriculture and learn directly from HB region farmers.
We caught up with Ben James, Springhill Orchard business manager apples, for an update on progress. Although not yet at full production, the orchard is already exceeding its workforce predictions.
While technologies will create efficiencies, irrigation will always be required in the horticulture and arable sectors.
Good news for HB. National Policy Statement issued on protecting highly productive land.
Foodscapes, described as an exposition festival, is showcasing sustainable growing and preserving, regenerative farming, and biodiversity over a weekend in late October.
New programme to get more schools teaching agricultural and horticultural science and more students taking those subjects to be driven from Hawke's Bay.
"We should be encouraging soil carbon projects to provide farmers with evidence of the benefits of building soil health and consequently improving environmental outcomes for all."
Craig Foss, chair of foodeast, the planned food innovation hub to be based in Hastings, is confident that the $20m project will achieve its vision, despite a scale back in the project.
The highly productive land of the Heretaunga Plains, their value to the wider economy, and threats to fertile soils and water resources were all explored at recent Hastings Soils Symposium.
I grew up in the little settlement of Mohaka about an hour north of Napier and once finished with my primary years at Mohaka School I went to Napier Girls High and was a boarder.
The Grand Ballroom at Toitoi was filled last week to hear Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and journalist Rod Oram discuss the future direction and challenges for NZ agriculture.
Pilot aims to demonstrate the environmental and economic benefits of ‘Right Tree Right Place’ planting.
Red meat gets some positive press lately.
Here in Hastings, Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor and Rod Oram to discuss Future Farming with Climate Change.
On the lighter side ... Cows are our friends!
Wood post suppliers are maxed out.
Not for export, this premium beef from the Tukituki Valley, farmed sustainably, wows judges.
Trust and HDC will collaborate on projects aimed at local farming/growing resilience.
Awatoto wool scourer WoolWorks is on a mission to strip carbon from its business and improve the sustainability profile of New Zealand wool.
Inflation hitting hard, but exports keep growing.
Countdown reports demand for fresh meat alternatives has grown 20% in the past year.
Video presents John Kamp's impressive regen dairy farming results.
Hawke’s Bay’s expected crop down 15% on pre-season estimates.
Hawke's Bay-produced squash-based milk a hit in Asia.
KAMP FARMS SHOW REGENERATIVE DAIRY FARMING BENEFITS
High export prices are not necessarily translating into high farm profits.
Marketing collective unites artisan food brands.
We are disappointed the Gov't ERP broke no new ground regarding regenerative agriculture practices.
Scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the US have developed a new method for measuring carbon stored in the soil by plants and microbes, without taking soil samples.
HB Future Farming trustee and soil scientist Phil Schofield recently completed for HBRC a desktop analysis of worldwide research on the capacity of healthier soils to absorb and hold rainwater.
Soil biologists will tell you that the ground beneath our feet is home to more life, with more diversity than almost any other place on earth. One cup of dirt can yield up to 100 million life forms.
A $100,000 study is underway in Hawke's Bay to investigate the feasibility of a New Zealand almond industry.
Rex Graham, the former chair of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is pleased to see further progress in developing the horticultural potential of Wairoa, particularly on Maori land.
Maven of the wool industry Philippa Wright has been blown away by the success of her new business venture, Wright Wool Pillows.
With Russia, a major exporter of fertilizer, stopping its exports, global prices and supplies are suffering.
Hawke’s Bay doesn’t have heaps of dairying, but the operators we do have should be impressed with these environmental and productivity improvements at LUDF.
You are invited to the Future Whenua Summit at Mangarara Station, CHB, 25th to 27th of March. This gathering will shine a light on progressive concepts about the future of land use and growing food.
We know Kiwi farmers are wary of advice coming from overseas, but here’s an intelligent interview with the director of the Purdue University Climate Change Research Center, located in America’s farmin
Napier Port is on track to manage the region’s seasonal peak, and so far it is managing its Covid-19 response very well.
Bayleys Country and Napier Port get behind HB Future Farming
'Soils of Aotearoa New Zealand' aims to be the authoritative technical text.
Great turnout at John Kamp's comparison farms
Healthier soil means better water retention
Electric currents in soil signal soil health
Greg steps down to focus on Mangarara Farm
Learn results from dairy farmer John Kamp's regenerative practices.
Tim Aitken, much awarded CHB farmer, District councillor and current chair of Horse of the Year HB, has joined the HB Future Farming Trust Board.
The Trust is pleased to be a sponsor of ‘Farming for a Successful Future’, an all-day workshop on sustainable farming organised by Farm Nutrient Advisory, Ltd.
Regen practices yielding more soil carbon on HB dairy farm.
Here is our 2021-2022 Annual Report
The Hawke’s Bay Future Farming Trust is sponsoring three presentations offering an introduction to alternative pasture and grazing systems that can regenerate better soils and build soil carbon on your farm.
The Trustees are pleased to announce that Dave France has come aboard as project manager to shepherd a number of key project proposals toward Government funding.
Gwen Grelet and Sam Lang have prepared an extensive white paper for MPI -- Regenerative agriculture in Aotearoa New Zealand -- research pathways to build science-based evidence and national narratives
If carbon sequestration rates attained by exemplary cases were achieved on crop and pastureland across the globe, regenerative agriculture would sequester more than our current annual carbon
The 10 Sep CHB Mail published a full account of Siobhan Griffin's ‘Next Level Grazing’ workshop, which HB Future Farming Trust sponsored (alongside another in Sherenden).
Sponsored by the Hawke’s Bay Future Farming Trust. Take your grazing practices to the next level. Achieve more pasture growth and better soils. Siobhan Griffin of ‘Next Level Grazing’ will be making a
Prem Maan from Southern Pastures [As written for The Spinoff, 21 May 2020] The Covid-19 crisis has shown us what can be achieved in New Zealand if we work towards a common goal rather than wholly directed by self-interest.
Farming in the summer dry environment is not new to Hawke’s Bay, but this year is unprecedented in the severity and length of the drought. I know firsthand the stress our farmers and their farming sys
The sun sets on another beautiful autumn day at Mangarara – The Family Farm, near the thriving community of Elsthorpe in Hawke’s Bay. It’s early April 2030 and I am reflecting on the last decade since the Covid-19 virus changed the world for good.
