E-news Number 1 for project teams and all those interested in Sustainable Farming in New Zealand

Dear all

Haere mai, nau mai

Our aim with these quarterly e- newsletters is to keep you up-to-date with the MAF Sustainable Farming Fund. We'll update you on the application process, funded projects, the SFF team, as well as upcoming events and links to updates on completed projects. Please pass this letter on to your project team or colleagues. We look forward to your feedback: sff@maf.govt.nz

In this edition:

• Application Round Number 5 (2004/05 financial year)
• The SFF team
• SFF Communications Programme
• What's new on the website
• IPM workshop - 9 August
• SFF banners
• Evaluation programme
• Advance payments
• Visit this link
  

APPLICATION ROUND NUMBER 5

Acting on the recommendations of the Phase 2 Project Assessment Panel Paul Reynolds, the Assistant Director-General Policy, signed off on 62 projects in early July 2005. Once the details of these project work programmes have been negotiated and agreed the $9.5 million of grant funding available for new projects will have been fully allocated

This year's applications were of a higher standard than in previous years, which meant the selection process was extremely difficult. Out of the initial 198 expressions of interest (requesting $31 million), 69 applicants were asked to prepare full proposals

Virtually all of the 69 projects that were shortlisted were worthy of funding. However, the funding had to be prioritised. In establishing the relative priority between projects, the panel considered:

• The level of innovation displayed in the project proposal (fresh, new, projects that didn't duplicate existing work rated higher)
• The breadth of potential application of the project results (i.e. how wide was the "community of interest", could the results apply to other regions or sectors?)
• The level of community of interest displayed in the project proposal (cash and in-kind input from the community of interest was a good measure of project support)
• The level to which practical and clearly articulated results and outcomes are established in the project proposal (clearly defined milestones and objectives are important)
• Contribution to sustainability - economic, social and environmental (strong projects incorporate all three aspects)

A further 12 proposals in the small project category (grant of $10,000 or less) were selected for funding through a stand alone assessment process.

Unsuccessful applicants are able to reapply in the next funding round. The next SFF Round (Round #6, 2005/06 financial year) will be launched in November 2004, with a closing date in early February 2005.

THE SFF TEAM

Fund Manager Kevin Steel and Fund Administrator Amanda Hall were running the Sustainable Farming Fund up until November 2003, with help from the regional staff of MAF Policy. This was no small task when you consider that there are now over 300 SFF projects being undertaken by rural communities around New Zealand.

There are now four SFF Project Advisors based around the country. The job of the project advisor is to work with the SFF project teams in their region - to build relationships with the teams and sectors to ensure the project is progressing as anticipated. The project advisors need to also be in touch with the different rural sectors and industry.

Here is the SFF team and our contact details. We look forward to hearing from you!

Kevin Steel - Fund Manager

Kevin is based in Wellington and is responsible for the overall programme management plus linkages to other funders.

Kevin is a graduate of the School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury with just under 30 years of experience working with rural communities and the land based productive sectors. This experience spans land resource assessment, soil conservation and catchment works planning, and a range of operational and policy roles in the Ministry for the Environment and MAF. Immediately prior to joining the SFF team Kevin was a member of the MAF Policy International Team working on trade and the environment and climate change negotiations.

He is taking the technical lead in the SFF forestry and viticulture programmes.

You can email Kevin on: kevin.steel@maf.govt.nz  or phone 0800 100 087

Amanda Hall - Fund Administrator

Amanda is responsible for programme administration and operating budget co-ordination.

Amanda has a background in administration. She has completed a BSc. in Environmental Studies at Victoria University and enjoys the diversity of SFF projects.

You can email Amanda on: amanda.hall@maf.govt.nz

or phone 0800 100 087

Fiona Duncan - Project Adviser

Although based in Wellington, Fiona is the key contact person for many of the projects in Northland, Nelson, Marlborough, Otago and Southland. So you can expect to see Fiona out and about around the country! Fiona is our contact for issues related to community development and human resources, Maori development (with Barrie Wallace), and the bee industry. Fiona also provides the SFF input into Government initiatives such as the Growth and Innovation Framework.

Fiona has worked in a number of different roles within MAF including a two year secondment to the office of the Minister of Agriculture. She has a B. Ag. Econ (hons) from Massey University.

You can email Fiona on fiona.duncan@maf.govt.nz

or phone 0800 100 087

Katherine McCusker - Project Adviser

Katherine is the project adviser for SFF programmes in Canterbury and the South Island West Coast.

Katherine has worked as a farm consultant for dairy and sheep, beef and deer farmers in Canterbury, and prior to that in the King Country and Northland. Katherine project managed a now- completed SFF project. She has a B.Ag.Sci from Massey.

Katherine's background in agricultural consultancy stands her in good stead as the SFF technical contact on pastoral and arable farming.

You can email Katherine on katherine.mccusker@maf.govt.nz

or phone 03 358 1654

Helen Percy - Project Adviser

Helen has project responsibility for most of the SFF projects in the South Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and King Country. She also takes the SFF technical lead on subtropical crops, berry fruit, tree crops, floriculture and integrated pest management programmes. Helen is the key contact regarding communication and extension.

Helen has previously worked for ENZA and HortResearch in various roles covering extension, communication and business management. She has a B.Hort.Sc (hons) from Massey University.

You can email Helen on helen.percy@maf.govt.nz

or phone 07 856 1811

Barrie Wallace - Project Adviser

Barrie is the contact person for projects in the lower North Island (including Taranaki and Hawkes Bay). He also is also the SFF contact for the pipfruit and summerfruit industries and takes a lead on Maori development projects (with Fiona Duncan).

Barrie is a Lincoln graduate and has worked for MAF for over thirty years in a variety of roles. These have included advisory/extension work, international consultancy and management of research and advisory teams. He also worked in the private sector for six years.

You can email Barrie on barrie.wallace@maf.govt.nz

or phone 06 351 7926

SFF COMMUNICATION PROGRAMME

There is a lot of exciting information about Sustainable Farming being generated from Sustainable Farming Fund supported projects. The SFF team has a role in ensuring information about current and completed projects is disseminated and applied as widely as possible outside of the original project teams.

How can we assist project teams with dissemination of results (in addition to what is already being done by the project team)?

• SFF Website.

We are using that SFF website as a hub for information - in other words a library where you can find out about an individual project, download final reports and link through to websites relevant to that project. Over the next few months Sheri Cochrane (who was the Fund Administrator before having a baby 18 months ago) will be updating the website in the "Funded Projects" section.

For each project you will be able to click through to a page that has the general project information i.e.: name, contact person, amount funded etc and then a short description about that project. Each quarter there will also be an update on project progress.

Project leaders - we need your help! So that the SFF website is kept up-to-date we are asking that the project leader sends an electronic update along with each quarterly report. This electronic update should be one or two paragraphs sufficient to keep a general audience informed about the progress of your project. In many cases this can be cut and pasted directly from sections of your quarterly report. Include any links or pdfs.

However, we also realise that not everyone chooses to use the web as their information source - and it certainly won't be the only way of transferring information.

Other methods of communication include:

• SFF workshops that will bring together representatives from project teams working on similar project areas.
• "Success Stories" - electronic executive summaries of completed SFF projects to be send to a wide audience including rural media.
• Targeted articles that bring together results from several related projects.

WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEB?

Here are some final reports of projects completed over the past year that are now available electronically from the SFF website - visit these links to see some of the progress that has been made.

• Forage plant resources for improved drought management
• Optimising land use on the Northland hill country soils
• Profitable beef production - a guide to beef production in New Zealand
• Wairarapa - soils awarenss for sustainable and profitable land use
• A predictive water use model for quality wine production
• Growing sustainable profit in the Taupo District
• Expert support for summerfruit community grower groups
• Development of a sustainable, profitable arable/livestock system for the Manawatu/Rangitikei
• Grower energy minimisation project (for arable and outdoor vegetable production)
• Enhanced skill and knowledge for organic pipfruit growers
• Promotion and development of planted indigenous forestry (for timber and other uses) as a viable landuse option for farmers
• Topoclim (software programme)
• National Maori Land Use Options Resource Kit
• Strath Taieri Area Irrigation Research

IPM WORKSHOP - 9 AUGUST IN HAMILTON

The Sustainable Farming Fund, in conjunction with the Plant Protection Society, organised a 1 day workshop on 9 August 2004 as a pre-event to the Plant Protection Conference in Hamilton.

The SFF contributes funding towards many of the IPM/ IFP programmes currently underway in the horticultural sectors. The workshop brought together 125 researchers, growers, consulants and industry people involved in IPM/IFP in New Zealand.
Representatives from different sectors shared their experiences and approaches in the development of a sustainable production programme and benefit from the ideas of others. Facilitated workshops in the afternoon generated some interesting discussion around the need to collaborate between sectors, and the potential approaches for better informing the public about sustainable horticultural production in New Zealand.

Other issues that came up from the workshop included funding, extension, long term continuation of programmes.

The SFF anticipates running more workshops such as this in future. Please contact Helen Percy helen.percy@maf.govt.nz  for more information about the IPM workshop.

SFF BANNERS AVAILABLE

Are you holding a field day or workshop? Contact us to borrow one of our SFF banners to acknowledge the contribution of the fund. We have "flying banners" (2 metres high), a 2m x 1m wall banner, or a 1metre A-frame banner (suitable for directing people). All of these banners can be used outdoors as well as inside.

 

While on the subject of branding - don't forget to use the SFF logo on your printed material and published articles. You can download an electronic version of our logo or contact our Wellington office.

EVALUATION PROGRAMME

The SFF, like all government funds, needs to be accountable to Ministers and to Parliament for the appropriate use of taxpayer dollars. An independent evaluation of the fund was completed in 2002. By the end of 2004/05, close to 120 project teams will have completed (or nearly completed) their full work programmes. Therefore, there is an opportunity for a more substantial programme review. The review is now underway and it will involve interviews with project teams, sector and industry organisations to evaluate the success of the fund in contributing to sustainability in the rural sector.

ADVANCE PAYMENTS AN OPTION

Many project teams are making use of the advance payment system. This allows project teams to cover up-front costs and, therefore, minimise cash-flow problems. The SFF can provide an advance payment of your estimated costs for the each new quarter. This advance needs to be accounted for in a Request for Grant Payment return at the quarterly reporting. Click here for Payment Guidelines, and to download the Request for Payment Form.

VISIT THIS LINK

Some of the SFF projects make use of the web as a tool for housing or transferring their information. Here is an example of what can be done:

www.Landwise.org.nz

ENDING

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Kind regards
Hai kona ra

Kevin, Amanda, Barrie, Fiona, Katherine and Helen