E-news Number 3 for project teams and all those interested in Sustainable Farming in New Zealand

Dear all

Haere mai, nau mai

The Sustainable Farming Fund Team wish you and your family all the best for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

 

In this edition of the SFF E-news we want share the results and outcomes of just some of the successful projects that the Sustainable Farming Fund has supported over the past year.  As the year draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect on all the positive progress that is happening in the "communities of interest" in rural New Zealand.

Helping to communicate results to a wider audience is something we will be doing more of in 2006.  Please feel free to pass on to anyone you think may be interested.  As always, we appreciate your input and feedback.

In this edition:

• Tools for Farmers Project: link to publications on practical sustainable farm management
• Franklin Sustainability Project : now complete, with downloads on erosion management and cover crops
• Adapting to Climate Change in Eastern New Zealand
• Irrigation Information Pack developed by the Ritso Society

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TOOLS FOR FARMERS PROJECT

The Tools for Farmers Project grew out of the Waikato Farm Environment Awards (now being run nationally as the Ballance Farm Environment Awards). The goal was to take some of the great working examples of sustainable farm management identified during the awards process and share them with the broader farming community. This was done primarily through developing five publications on 'hot topics' identified by farmers as areas where there was a lack of accessible information.

• Getting Smart with Nutrients
• Growing Greener Grass
• Low Impact Tracks and Races
• Managing Natural Features on Farms
• Managing Waterways on Farms

Click here to link to the SFF website where you can download these publications as pdfs

Keys to success

Good news stories

• The publications celebrate farmers' environmental achievements - a refreshing difference from negative media about farming and the environment. This helps make change seem achievable and realistic.
• Farmer stories come from a wide group of entrants, demonstrating a variety of farm types and giving as many people as possible a chance to participate.

Practical focus

• Farmers reviewed the publications to check they were meaningful and useful for them.
• Each one contains an insert to help farmers adapt solutions to their own situation.
• Cost/benefit issues are kept to the fore, emphasising that good environmental management is good business.

Collaborative process

• The project team interviewed farmers about practices that had (or hadn't) worked on their farms.
• This process was designed to be rewarding for the interviewees - a two-way information exchange, with experts on hand to give feedback and advice.
• Farmer observations were reinforced by an extensive technical review, involving stakeholders/agencies with an interest in each theme.
• While time-intensive, this process boosted acceptance of the publications within the farming community and generated benefits in terms of support from other organisations.

Building on a proven model

• The first publication - Managing Waterways on Farms - was initially developed collaboratively with Environment Waikato and later re-published as part of the SFF funded project. Its success provided the project team with a strong foundation for its funding application.
   

New SFF project "Learning From Leaders"

In 2004, the New Zealand Farm Environment Awards Trust (in conjunction with the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, Federated Farmers of NZ, The Rural and Associated Contractors Federation, NZ Contractors' Association, and the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust) has obtained further funding from the SFF to develop and deliver learning events on the topics covered in the brochures.  The learning events will involve local Ballance Farmer Environment Award entrants to give the training a very practical, real focus.

For more information about either the Tools for Farmers or Learning from Leaders projects, contact the project manager, Annie Perkins, ph 07 855 7163 or email: annie.groundwork@xtra.co.nz

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FRANKLIN SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT

The Franklin Sustainability Project (or 'FSP' for short) was initiated in 1996 to address issues of soil erosion and sustainable production amongst those involved in outdoor cropping in the Franklin district.  Over the past 8 years, this project has received much publicity and interest both within the district and around the country.  So where to from here?

Project manager, Andrew Barber, has recently completed the final report on the project on behalf of the Pukekohe Vegetable Growers' Association.  You can read the full report on the  the SFF website by clicking here.

The approach taken by the Sustainable Farming Fund project (which began in 2000, following on from the original FSP project) was to employ a full time field representative, Glenys Pellow, to provide an education and advocacy extension service to approximatley 250 outdoor vegetable growers.  Her main objective was to ensure the "Doing in Right" guidelines were used and implemented by growers.

Two significant additions were also made to the guidelines (click on the titles to link to these documents):

1. A guide to constructing silt traps  (scoll down to the report titled FSP - Soil Erosion Management Guidelines)

2. An update on the use of cover crops (scroll down to the report titled FSP - Cover Crops)

(Hard copies of the above documents are available by contacting Andrew Barber, phone: 09 237 1273)

So did the project result in change in practice?  A survey conducted at the beginning and end of the SFF project gave some answers.  Two third of the respondents said they had made changes to their growing practices as a result of FSP.  As an example, 77% of survey respondents said they used silt traps in 2004, a slight drop from 88% in 2002.  However, anedotally looking around the district the number of silt traps has increased.  A small scoop in the corner of a paddock, which used to be thought of as a suitable measure, is now considered a waste of time and completely inadequate.

FSP concluded with a field day and barbeque on 7 December 2004 that was well attended by growers and project partners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo: Andrew Barber leading a discussion on silt traps at the final FSP field day.

Says Andrew Barber:

"FSP has become extremely well known in the industry and has developed capacity for participatory research and to effectively deliver information to the outdoor vegetable industry.  FSP remains a vehicle that can be used by councils, researchers and industry to build projects around and deliver the results direct to growers".

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ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN EASTERN NEW ZEALAND (SFF Project 02/049)

Sometimes it takes a different approach to get an idea across as SFF Project Advisor, Barrie Wallace, found out when he attended an "Adapting to Climate Change in Eastern New Zealand" workshop recently.

Project manager, Gavin Kenny, and art teacher, Fred Robertson, used art as a way of encouraging participation. Fred has been involved in the production of the published material for the project and has the ability, in Gavin's words, to "brings together art and science".

Three workshops were held in Rerewhakaaitu (Rotorua District), Bayview (Hawke's Bay), and Ashburton to bring participating farmers and other agencies up to date with the project and complete another milestone in the programme.

Participants had the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and ideas, focussing on a future with climate change that involves a healthy vibrant farming sector alongside other development goals/interests.
 

Says Barrie Wallace, who attended the Hawke's Bay workshop, "For those of us with very limited artistic talent Fred encouraged and motivated us to express our views on issues in art form as well as words. The enthusiastic participation of all made for a very challenging and rewarding day."

For more information about this project on the SFF website click here.

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INFORMATION FOR FARMERS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY IRRIGATION SCHEMES

The Ritso Society has put together a series of reports and workshops aimed at helping farmers in the decision making process for large community irrigation schemes. The group is based in the Central Plains of Canterbury, however, their Irrigation Information Pack will be of interest to all those involved - or potentially involved - in regional community irrigation schemes.

Click here to go through to the Ritso Society website and access the following reports:

• Report Overviews
• Financial Decision Making Framework
• Irrigation Water Calculator
• Physical and Financial Impacts of Conversion from Dryland to Irrigated Farming
• Share Price Analysis Report
• Land Value Analysis Opinion Report
• Cost of Groundwater Pumping

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QUARTERLY REPORTS DUE

A reminder to all SFF project teams, that quarterly reports and request for payment requests for the quarter ending 30 December 2004, are due in our Wellington office on 31 January 2005.

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ENDING

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Kind regards
Hai kona ra

Kevin, Amanda, Barrie, Fiona, Katherine and Helen