Dairy, cattle and sheep pastoral farming will be closely investigated in the seven-year study. Photo: RNZ / Sally Round
A seven year, $26 million project which will investigate all aspects of pasture farming was launched at Massey University today.
It will monitor dairy, cattle and sheep pastoral systems to intensively investigate many aspects of these types of framing, including regenerative farming practices.
The government had committed $17.6m over seven years through the the Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund.
Called Whenua Haumanu, the programme was to be led by Massey University with research partners AgResearch, Lincoln University, and Dairy Trust Taranaki.
Massey's School of Agriculture and Environment professor Danny Donaghy said this was the most comprehensive study that undertaken on pastoral systems, both conventional and those using regenerative farming practices.
"It will provide a robust evidence base to explore regenerative farming practices alongside conventional pastoral practices in both dairy and sheep systems."
"A key aim of the programme is to investigate potential benefits of diverse pastures for grazing animals, as well as regenerative farming practices, as these have yet to be thoroughly studied, especially in an Aotearoa New Zealand context."
Understanding and results gained from the programme would be incorporated into models and tested across a wide range of sites across the country, to inform the international marketing of our agricultural products, Donaghy said.
Research farms would be established with diverse pasture mixes. Adjoining to and within paddocks, native browsable shrubs would be planted as shade and shelter options for grazing animals.
The programme would had three main research sites: Massey University's Dairy 1 farm grazed by dairy cows, Pasture and Crop's Research Unit grazed by sheep, and Lincoln University's Field Research Centre grazed by sheep.
Other collaborating sites included Dairy Trust Taranaki's Waimate West farm, On-Farm Research's project underway at the Poukawa Research Farm, and Northland Dairy Development Trust's project underway at the Northland Agricultural Research Farm.
Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, who was at the launch of the programme today, said Whenua Haumanu would be part of broader coordinated work the government was backing to provide a robust evidence base to explore regenerative farming practices alongside conventional pastoral practices in both dairy cow and sheep systems.
"In doing so it will also test claims that many of our conventional pastoral practices are already regenerative.
"Establishing an evidence base of regenerative practices is a cornerstone of the sustainability goal in the government and food and fibre sector's Fit for a Better World roadmap."
He said through the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund the government is co-investing with others in 11 research projects across the country that are evaluating regenerative farming practices.
These amount to a total investment of $54.74 million from Government and investment partners, and further research proposals are being assessed by the Ministry for Primary Industries.