In this edition:
The SFF fax machine and emails ran red-hot on 13 February,
the last day we accepted applications for the 2006/07 SFF
funding round.
We received 222 applications (slightly up on last year),
requesting a total amount of approximately $35 million in
funding. There is $9.5 million available for allocation this
round. Compared to last year, there was a notable increase in
applications for funding of $20,000 or less - these
applications were generally from smaller sectors or for more
localised projects.
All applications are currently being assessed. Applicants for
funds of more than $20,000 will be advised by early April
whether their project has been shortlisted for Phase 2. Those
applicants selected for Phase 2 assessment will be asked to
submit a full application by 8 May 2006. Final results will be
announced in late June.
Applicants for funds of $20,000 or less will be advised by
early May as to whether their application has been successful.
SFF advisers will meet with the successful groups to get the
contracting process underway as soon as possible.
Once again, the SFF will be running a series of workshops
in early April to assist applicants with their project
planning and Phase 2 applications.
This year, we plan to run a morning session that will cover
how the SFF operates, project planning, and assistance in
completing the Phase 2 application. This session will be aimed
at first time applicants, however, anyone is welcome to
attend.
We'll also hold an afternoon session on project management.
This session will be run by Ron Sutherland and Ian Brown who
have been reviewing SFF projects as part of the independent
validation process. Project management is consistently
identified as an area of weakness, so we are encouraging all
new and existing SFF project managers (or team members) to
attend this session.
The dates and locations for these workshops are:
10 April - Dunedin (AgResearch Invermay)
11 April - Canterbury (venue to be confirmed)
12 April - Palmerston North (venue to be confirmed)
13 April - Auckland (Jet Inn, Mangere)
Morning session (new applicants): 9:45 am - 12:30 pm
Afternoon session (project management): 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
(approx)
Further details to follow. For further information, or to
book a place at the workshops, please contact
Amanda Hall
(phone 0800 100 087)
Details about 418 SFF projects can now be searched on our
website. We've installed a search engine to make it easier to
find what you are looking for. The project teams update
project information each quarter, so it is a great way to find
out what's happening with SFF projects.
Click here to go
through to the search engine and try it out.
Here are some examples to show how you can make use of the
search engine:
1. You want to find all the projects funded on "water quality"
Select "water quality" from the drop down menu under topic.
Then press the search button (or
click here to see the search already done for you).
2. You want to find all the projects funded on "water quality"
that take place in Canterbury.
Select "water quality" from the drop down menu under topic.
Select Canterbury in the drop down menu under region.
Then press the search button (or
click here to see the search already done for you).
3. You want to find all the projects funded in the 2005 round.
In the grant number box, enter 05/ and press search (or
Click here to see the search already done for you).
4. You want to check that your project details are all up to
date on the web.
In the grant number box, enter your project number
(e.g. 04/102) and press search. Then click on view project
details. (Click
here for an example of project details for 04/102,
Tailoring pesticide applications to avocado canopies).
Any feedback on the search engine? Please contact
Amanda Hall or
Helen Percy.
The Sustainable Farming Fund has a portfolio of projects on
internal parasites in livestock. This includes a national
drench resistance survey; two projects on drench efficiency
tests, farm management practices, and breeding policies; and a
fourth project about breeding for resistance and resilience to
internal parasites.
The projects all highlighted a common set of issues:
- Almost all the sheep flocks and beef herds that had
undertaken drench resistance tests had parasite resistance.
- There is a need for consistent information across the
industry.
- The management of internal parasites is complex and
requires a balancing act between stock production gains and
the development of resistance.
- SFF and Meat and Wool New Zealand held a workshop in May
2005 that brought together representatives from animal
health companies, veterinarians, scientists, farm
consultants and farmers. Workshop participants agreed to
work together to achieve a common vision: to achieve
effective sustainable worm management for profitable farm
enterprises. A small team representing the industry (and
including AgCarm and NZVA) have been developing a National
Worm Management Strategy. The strategy will be publicly
available in early April.
The five key components are:
- Agreed principles (available in early April)
- Adoption
- Leadership
- Support
- Research
For more information
click here to download a pdf, or contact
Katherine
McCusker.
A team from Tetra, lead by Sally Hobson, has reviewed
clover research in New Zealand and conducted a series of
interviews with clover scientists, farmers and industry
people. This work is now available as two comprehensive
reports that include a review of R&D literature and R&D
opportunities, extension initiatives and opportunities.
SFF initiated this review, as a funder of clover management
projects, in order to identify the impact the research was
having on management, and to identify any gaps in research or
the uptake of the research.
The reports are available to download from the SFF website:
Interview report (pdf: 119 pages)
Research report (pdf: 218 pages)
or in hard copy by emailing
hazel.holmes@maf.govt.nz
Irrigation New Zealand ran a workshop on irrigation
efficiency in Christchurch in August 2005. This was funded by
SFF. As part of this workshop, Aqualinc were commissioned to
write a review and stock-take of irrigation efficiency.
The report is available to download from the SFF website (click
here), or in hard copy by emailing
hazel.holmes@maf.govt.nz
Over recent years, several projects have been completed, or
are underway, with the aim of providing information to farmers
on how to improve irrigation efficiency and productivity. In
particular, the "Water it better, water it right" project in
Central Otago (Ida Valley and Hawkdun) has provided invaluable
information.
Click here
to download a handout that summarises key information from the
Ida Valley and other projects, and presents it in a format
that can be easily referred to and used.
ENDING
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Kind regards
Hai kona ra
Amanda, Barrie, Fiona, Katherine and Helen
