In this edition:
The 2007/08 funding round is now open. Applications close on
Monday 12 February 2007.
The Sustainable Farming Fund operates one funding round per
year. Up to $9.5 million in grants will be available for
projects commencing in July 2007 that contribute to the
economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the
country's primary producers.
What is new this funding round?
The application form for grants under $20,000 is now the
same form as the Phase 1 application form for grants greater
than $20,000.
Click here to download the application form
from the SFF website.
We've redesigned our guidelines for applicants. The
guidelines explain:
- the key features of the Fund;
- the application process;
- the assessment criteria;
- the information required in each section of the application
form.
Click here to download the guidelines from the SFF website.
This year, all application forms must be submitted
electronically by the closing date (email to
sffund@maf.govt.nz
with the title of the project as the subject line). Faxed or
hard copies will not be accepted. This should save everyone
time and effort (not to mention paper!).
SFF Project Advisers are available to advise project teams
putting together an application -
click here for SFF
contacts.
If you have any other queries, please call us on 0800 100
087.
Interested in finding out more?
Resources from previous applicant workshops -
click here.
New funding round media release -
click here.
Previous projects funded by the SFF -
click here
|
Event |
Timing |
|
Funding round launched |
November 2006 |
|
Applications close |
12 February 2007 |
|
Applicants for grants of over $20,000
advised whether their application is proceeding to
Phase 2 |
Early April 2007 |
|
Applicants for funds of $20,000 or less advised
whether their application is successful |
May 2007 |
|
Phase 2 applications (for grants over $20,000) close |
7 May 2007 |
|
Phase 2 results announced |
End June 2007 |
The SFF supports a number of projects that focus on managing
a catchment for improved environmental, economic and social
outcomes. Such projects are often initiated and run by the
local community, and may centre around a particular issue
(e.g. preserving the water quality of a lake or river). In
the last funding round, there were a number of such "catchment
projects". However, with a limited pool of grant money they
could not all be funded.
So following on from the assessment round, the SFF invited a
group of people involved in catchment management in New
Zealand to attend a workshop on 19 September. The purpose of
the workshop was to:
- enable teams working in catchment management, together with
SFF staff and other funders, to gain a better understanding
of the critical success factors underpinning successful
catchment management projects;
- identify gaps in our understanding and priorities for future
research and extension;
- improve linkages and clarify boundaries among different
funders;
- provide the opportunity for projects teams to network and
share experiences with other catchment specialists.
The aim of the workshop was to help develop higher quality
SFF applications for catchment management projects, and to
improve the SFF's ability to assess these.
Interested in finding out more?
An 'Actions Summary' and notes from the Catchment Workshop
are available from the SFF website by
clicking here.
Harakeke (New Zealand flax) has important cultural,
environmental and economic values for Maori. Early European
settlers recognised its value and built a thriving industry
based on its fibre. Synthetic fibres replaced natural fibres
and large scale flax plantations disappeared. Today, the
flax industry is based around a flourishing natural cosmetic
industry based on flax seed oil. A small amount of fibre is
extracted for paper production, woven products, traditional
crafts, and supplying niche markets.
The SFF project, Integrating New Zealand flax into land
management systems, took on the challenge to investigate the
potential for our native plants to contribute to sustainable
land use, wealth creation and indigenous biodiversity.
The project's objectives were to assess the opportunities
and practicalities of establishing harakeke as an integrated
or special-purpose species for on-farm plantings,
larger-scale environmental management and iwi land
development, and establishing regional enterprises based on
flax extractives.
The project team identified two opportunities that harakeke
offered for development:
- the potential environmental use for riparian and wetland
planting to assist farmers meet their targets for improved
water quality;
- the development of new products for new markets that meet
the current global trend favouring natural fibres and
products.
Project Outcomes
The project's findings focus on "a lost resource and
processing capability" and the opportunity that we have to
redesign an industry, based around harakeke, from the ground
up.
The project has confirmed that harakeke can give an economic
and environmental win/win on the farm, particularly for the
management of waterways and erodable soils.
The plants can be established quickly along stream banks and
wetlands, where they provide stability to the soil and
remove excess nitrogen, before it leaches into waterways.
They also provide cover, supporting the establishment of
other slower growing native species and make a good
windbreak for stock. The leaves are palatable for cattle,
deer and goats. Harakeke is superior for flood control
because it is deep rooted and flexible. The plants withstand
the power of the water without being uprooted and silt is
trapped and retained in the crowns.
The project has stimulated interest among a diverse group of
interested parties. A number of initiatives have been
developed to explore harakeke properties and the potential
for new products, particularly using the fibre and oil. The
establishment of harakeke plantations will depend on the
market pull for these products. In the meantime we will see
harakeke being planted along waterways and hillsides as part
of an integrated programme to improve our rural environment.
Project manager, Liz McGruddy, with the Wairararapa
Conservation Corps planting flax on Roddy McKenzie's farm
north of Masterton. (Photo: Wairarapa Times Age).
Interested in finding out more?
Click here for more information about the project on the SFF
website
Click here to go through to the final report (pdf 775K)
Click here to go through to the 2-page summary bulletin (pdf
1.1M)
For further information about this project contact Liz
McGruddy at nzflax@wise.net.nz
The Lincoln Resource consists of 9 organisations
collectively employing 1000 people focused on science and
research. In conjunction with the Local Sustainable Farming
Group, the Lincoln Resource has SFF funding to identify
projects around sustainable landuse by:
- identifying the collective science and research capabilities
within the member organisations of the Lincoln Resource;
- communicating this collective capability to farming and
landcare groups, and in return understanding their practical
farming needs around sustainable landuse.
To achieve its aim, the project team has been running a
seminar programme around sustainability issues and
establishing linkages and open communication between all
stakeholder groups.
The latest event was a presentation from members of the
Sustainable Land Use Research Initiative (SLURI).
Click here
for an outline of the presentation and a summary of the
question and answer session.
Interested in finding out more?
Click here for more information about the Lincoln Resource
project on the SFF website.
Click here to go through to the Lincoln Resource website
The "Focus on Nitrogen" group is running a project "to
demonstrate the wise use of nitrogen (N) fertiliser under
commercial conditions in a range of hill farming situations
in order to encourage practices that enhance long-term farm
profitability whilst minimising potential detrimental
environmental effects."
As part of this project, the group has produced a number of
useful fact sheets. You can download these fact sheets by
clicking on the titles below:
What is water quality and how it can be maintained?
What is the Overseer nutrient budget programme?
What is best management practices for N Fertiliser use?
How does N fertiliser affect soil pH?
How does N fertiliser affect clover growth and N fixation?
Which N fertiliser should I use?
Which N fertiliser gives the best Bang for my Buck?
Interested in finding out more?
Click here to go through to the Wise Use of N website
Click here for more information about this project on the
SFF website
The Future Farming Roadshow is a cutting-edge interactive
exhibition that will be touring the country visiting events
such as A&P shows from November until March next year, then
again in October and November 2007. It is an initiative of
the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology.
When visitors enter the exhibition, they will step into the
year 2017. Inside, large, state-of-the-art plasma screens
display how advances in biotechnology and other factors may
have changed New Zealand agriculture.
Visitors can watch and listen to broadcasts of rural news
from the future, and inspect virtual farms or digital
supermarket shelves. When touched, the farms and the
products in the supermarket "open up" to reveal more
information.
Want to bring the future to your next event?
The exhibition, which comes fully self-contained on its own
trailer, is available for use at field days or events on
certain dates during the above touring periods.
Best of all, there is no charge involved.
So, if you are planning an event and want an "added
attraction", contact Maureen Jones
maureen@roadshow.org for
more information.
Interested in finding out more?
Click here for more information on the Ministry of Research,
Science and Technology website.
Ending
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Kind regards
Hai kona ra
Amanda, Craig, Diana, Fiona, Katherine and Helen
