Carbon Positive project harvests corn

We recently harvested our first trial crop, about 16 metric tonnes of sweetcorn, grown at the ‘MicroFarm’ of our project partner, LandWISE.


  Added 2 years ago

Carbon Positive project harvests corn

The Trust’s Carbon Positive project is a ground breaking study testing whether soil carbon can be regenerated – and to what extent – in soils used for intensive field cropping.

We recently harvested our first trial crop, about 16 metric tonnes of sweetcorn, grown at the ‘MicroFarm’ of our project partner, LandWISE. Fortunately the cyclone did not disrupt production.

The sweetcorn was grown across 12 plots allowing ongoing comparison of outcomes using conventional, regenerative and hybrid cultivation practices.

The project will examine soil carbon stocks, soil carbon cycling, soil health, crop yield, and farm economics, giving rigorous scientific assessments of environmental, productivity and profitability outcomes.  

The project commercial partners include Heinz Wattie’s, McCain Foods, BASF, and Hill Laboratories, as well as major funder MPI and science partners Plant & Food Research, Manaaki Whenua (Landcare Research), Massey University, AgResearch, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

Dan Bloomer manages the project for LandWISE.

Dan Bloomer, LandWISE


Join the conversation

Phyllis Tichinin - Apr 30, 2023, 12:23 PM

Congratulations to Landwise and HBFFT for your success in getting this important research project 'off the ground'. Your consistency and diligence in the face of funding delays has been impressive. Looking forward to interim results.

Leave a comment

All comments are reviewed before they are published on the website. Your email address will not be published.

Fill out my online form.
HBBFT meets Land for Life with appointment of Di Roadley to its board
HBBFT meets Land for Life with appointment of Di Roadley to its board
Added 7 days ago
Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Farming: Integrating Soil Science, Pasture Management, and Dairy Research
Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Farming: Integrating Soil Science, Pasture Management, and Dairy Research
Added a week ago
Scaling Up National Cover Crop Seed Supplies Through Research
Scaling Up National Cover Crop Seed Supplies Through Research
Added 2 weeks ago
Hawke’s Bay Entrepreneur Transforms Beef Offal into Health Supplements
Hawke’s Bay Entrepreneur Transforms Beef Offal into Health Supplements
Added 2 weeks ago
AI-powered robotic feed pusher
AI-powered robotic feed pusher
Added 3 weeks ago
Sustainable Farming for the Future
Sustainable Farming for the Future
Added 4 weeks ago