July 2007

E-news Number 16 for project teams and all those interested in Sustainable Farming in New Zealand

Dear all                          He mihi nui ki a koutou

In this edition:

• Results of the 2007/08 funding round
• Changes to the SFF team
• Alpaca project information now on-line
• New irrigation calculator for dairy farmers
• Results of avocado mulching project
• Ashiro gentians - keeping the industry sustainable
• Workshops for new and existing SFF teams

Results of the 2007/08 funding round

The 2007/08 SFF funding round has now been completed and all applicants have been advised as to whether their application was successful.

• 42 projects requesting SFF funding of more than $20k were recommended for support by the panel subject to contract negotiation. A list of the project titles and applicant group, can be viewed by clicking here. Over the next few weeks, SFF project advisers will be in contact with these applicant groups to arrange contacting.
• These are in addition to the 26 small (less than $20k funding) that were approved, subject to contract negotiation, after Phase 1. A list of these project titles and applicant group details can be viewed by clicking here.

Details of the new projects will be available on our website once the contracting process is completed. Remember you can use the search engine on our website to search all SFF projects by year funded, region, sector, subsector or topic. To try it out click here.

As the SFF is a contestable fund, there are inevitably projects that cannot be funded. Unsuccessful applicants, especially those that were invited to prepare a Phase 2 application, may wish to contact a SFF project adviser for feedback.

Changes in the SFF team

SFF project adviser, Fiona Duncan, has accepted a two-year secondment to work as the Rural Trust Facilitator for MAF . Fiona will be working with Rural Support Trusts around New Zealand to equip them to support rural communities in adverse events. Those of you who have worked with Fiona over the past four years will miss her encouraging and positive nature. We wish Fiona well in this new position.

Daile Holz will be taking over the Wellington-based project adviser role in Fiona's absence. Originally from Nelson, Daile has a veterinary degree from Massey (BVSc (Dist.)) and a BSc (Mathematics) from Otago University. Daile has been working at MAF Policy for eight months, which has included one day per week on Sustainable Farming Fund animal welfare projects. Prior to working for MAF, Daile spent three years as a small animal practice vet. Her particular interest is in animal health and welfare, however, she is looking forward to extending her knowledge further.

New SFF Project Adviser, Daile Holz.

You can contact Daile by email (daile.holz@maf.govt.nz) or phone 04 894 0542.

With the change in roles, there may be some projects or regions reallocated amongst the existing project advisers. We will inform project managers of any changes affecting them.

Alpaca project information now on-line

The SFF project "Alpacas - making the transition from a cottage industry to a sustainable pastoral livestock option" has recently been completed. The project aimed to overturn many of the constraints that have prevented the industry from growing. Some constraints related to animal health and reproduction; others were more concerned with the set up and development of fibre processing and marketing. The project used Focus Farms as a means of collecting and communicating information about the Alpaca industry, in conjunction with the Alpaca Association of New Zealand.

Interested in finding out more?

To read more about this project on the SFF website click here.

Download the article "Alpacas - making the transition from a cottage industry to a sustainable pastoral livestock option" by clicking here (pdf).

New irrigation calculator for dairy farmers

A new irrigation calculator has been developed to provide an easy-to-use tool to help dairy farmers with irrigation scheduling.

The calculator is a computer-based programme that helps farmers decide when to irrigate, how much water to use as well as the yield penalty - dry matter and milk solids - if not enough water is applied.

The calculator takes inputs like the soil type, grazing schedule and historical weather records and calculates outputs that include pasture cover, total growth over daily, weekly or monthly periods and water-use efficiency.

Pasture water-use efficiency can vary depending on the farm system, pasture type or species, over and undergrazing, and soil damage. The irrigation calculator can plot a 'green zone' to ensure pasture growth potential is maintained. Farmers are also able to use a field protocol that allows them to assess the efficiency of their irrigator, and enables them to optimise water application and forage options.

The calculator was developed by AgResearch and Crop and Food through a three year SFF project with co-funding from Dairy Insight. Part of the development include a Canterbury-wide survey to ensure that the calculator would give farmers a practical tool that could be widely used.

Interested in finding out more?

To read more about this project on the SFF website click here.

Mulching of avocado trees - how? what? when?

Many avocado growers mulch around their trees, yet there was very little information to answer the following questions to justify this investment in mulching:

• What should the mulch be made of?
• Can green waste be used to make an effective mulch?
• When should the mulch be applied?
• Where should the mulch be applied?
• How much mulch should be applied?

In an SFF project, spanning three seasons, the Avocado Growers Association carried out trials in commercial orchards in the Western Bay of Plenty using different mulch treatments. The results are available in a comprehensive report that can be downloaded by clicking here (pdf).

The main findings of the project were:

• Applying mulch to soils that are already rich in organic matter and have a good 'A' horizon under avocado trees in the Western Bay of Plenty does not increase yield.
• Application of mulch at any width, thickness or time of the year did not affect: tree growth (trunk circumference and shoot growth), root mass in the soil under mulch, soil 'A' horizon depth, soil mineral content and physical characteristics, leaf nutrient content, soil moisture matrix potential, fruit size and post harvest quality.
• Feeder roots at the soil mulch interface were increased under the mulch treatments.
• Mulching is an effective treatment to stimulate feeder root growth.
• The percentage of feeder roots at the soil mulch interface was increased the most by the application of peelings mulch in spring (October/ November) at a thickness of 100mm or greater and a wdith of greater than 1.0m.
• Green waste mulches can increase the amounts of minerals in the soil under mulches and these increases need to be considered when developing a fertiliser programme.

Mulching around avocado tree (photo courtesy of Avocado Industry Council Ltd)

Interested in finding out more?

To read more about this project on the SFF website click here.

Ashiro Gentians - keeping the industry sustainable

The Ashiro Gentian industry is a small, fledgling industry in New Zealand - like many industries of this size it is vulnerable to external influences such as market fluctuations and the high New Zealand dollar. However, an SFF grant has enabled the growers of this high-end export flower crop to work together, undertake research and share the best practice on growing the crops. As summarsied in the final report:

"A successful, robust and sustainable Ashiro-based gentian industry in New Zealand requires all parties involved (exporter, plant breeders, growers and research organisation) to have confidence that they will make substantial income, a good return on the capital that they have invested and the opportunity to develop and maintain a premium market position internationally. As a result of the work done with the asssitance of SFF funding in this project we now know (pretty much):

• how to grow and manage the crop under most conditions
• how to protect the crop from pests and diseases
• how and when to harvest each cultivar, manage post harvest treatements and transport to the exporter and overseas markets
• how to work together (as grower, exporter, plant breeders and researchers), share information and plan for the shared goal of the development of a robust New Zealand gentian production industry."

Blue hybrid gentian (photo courtesy of Crop and Food Research)

Interested in finding out more?

To download the final report from the SFF website click here.

To read more about this project on the SFF website click here.

Workshops for new (and exisiting) SFF teams

Given staffing changes and contracting pressures, the workshops originally intended for July have had to be delayed until later in August. These workshops are for new, existing, and prospective SFF project managers and teams, and will include a session on Communicating your Results. Further details to follow.

Ending

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Kia rongo korero ano matou i a koutou

Kind regards
Amanda, Craig, Diana, Daile, Katherine and Helen