If there’s one term that kicks off heated discussion among New Zealand farmers at the moment, it’s regenerative farming.
Some say it’s the future of our industry, while others say it’s already in widespread use here and turning the dial further risks cutting into our export returns.
What everyone wants, though, is data and comprehensive research.
That’s now happening – last week the government launched Whenua Haumanu, a $26 million research project led by Massey University that will study regenerative processes to see what impact they could have for sheep and dairy farming systems.
Project leader Professor Danny Donaghy says the study is an opportunity to research regenerative farming within a NZ context.
Much of the information about regen comes from the United States, but what may work on the American farms of Allan Savory and Joel Salatin might not work here. Either way, we need to know.
In the US regenerative farming involves turning land back into grasses that were cleared years ago and the soil blew away.
But in NZ a different approach to the same concept is needed.
Donaghy and his team will establish research farms with diverse pasture mixes for dairy and sheep and mark them against what happens on university farms right now to see if the new approach stacks up.
Globally there is a push by large processors like Nestlé for regenerative farming to be included in farmers’ practices.
In essence, some of the biggest customers we have want change.
Last week Arla senior manager of agriculture operations Kate Liversidge outlined how the co-operative is increasing the value farmers gain from sustainability measures.
She said the push for transparency not only ticks regulatory boxes but is also a tool the co-operative uses to drive value for farmers.
Our sector is already seeing regen-related products appear to gain traction, with Silver Fern Farms’ zero-carbon beef and Southern Pastures’ PKE-free dairy just two examples.
Fonterra is also making moves to ensure it is moving in unison with what its customers overseas want.
Right now, we’re in a state of transformation, but to succeed we need to base any change on a firm platform of sound scientific work.
Chasing value is all well and good, but the farmer going about their day-to-day work needs to be comfortable in the knowledge that their business is environmentally, economically and socially resilient.
Changing a farm business model is costly, tiring and risky, but that risk can be lessened if there’s sound evidence to back the changes.
And who knows, maybe kiwi regen is closer to business as usual than we think? Or maybe it just doesn’t make sense here.
That’s why this research project is the right move, because while we can talk forever about what might work, this research should tell us what will work, right here in Aotearoa.
Our food production sector is diverse in topography and ideology, and there will never be a one-size-fits-all path to future prosperity.
But at least we won’t be using data collected on the other side of the world to make decisions on how to farm here.
As we all know, a good strategy needs buy-in from the ground up.
