Dairy Exporter June 2021

Page 7

Editor’s note

WE ARE ALL

STRONGER TOGETHER

S

taying strong onfarm portrays an innovative programme run by Reporoa dairy farmer and cancer survivor Sarah Martelli, who helps other women find their balance and build strength and wellbeing to be the best they can be. Strong Woman is an online community for women to work on their fitness with a workout to do at home, find quick and easy healthy recipes, goal planners and to connect with other women on the same journey. Her philosophy is to help women create healthy, sustainable habits around moving and feeding their bodies and their families. If women can prioritise their own health and fitness, they can inspire their partners, their children and their community around them, Sarah says (p82). She is an inspirational woman creating a moment of lift for many women. In this issue we take a look at the regenerative agri journey some NZ farmers are already on, and that the government has signalled they want others to join in on, in our Special Report. The regen debate has divided the farming community in a big way - many scientists are affronted that NZ would need regenerative methods from overseas countries with highly degraded soils - would that then infer that our conventional methods were degenerative? They say the methods won't work, and that research has already shown that, and also our farmers are already following regenerative practices. Others say that the methods are not prescribed and each farmer can take out of it what they want. It has been called a social movement rather than a science and the claimed benefits of improved soil and stock health and building soil carbon through diverse species, use of biological fertilisers and laxer and less frequent grazing practices along with less nitrogen is something that resounds emotionally with many. We have taken a snapshot of thinking by scientists in MPI and DairyNZ (p46) and portrayed what farmers using the practices are finding, including ongoing coverage of the comparative trial work by Align Group in Canterbury

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | June 2021

(p42). We also cover the Heald family of Norsewood (p52) who have transitioned to organics, OAD and regen philosophies and are enjoying the less intensive and more resilient system they have moved to, along with improved profitability. There is more research to be done in the NZ farm system context, says MPI’s chief scientist John Roche, to figure out what will and won’t work, but he encourages farmers to engage and learn more, and to embrace regenerative as a verb - saying all farmers could work to be more regenerative, more resilient, lowering carbon loss and building carbon storage. If you are interested in getting into farm ownership or getting out but retaining an interest, read about George Moss’ innovative idea for a speed-dating weekend for potential partners (p11). We think it could be a winner!

NZ Dairy Exporter @YoungDairyED @DairyExporterNZ @nzdairyexporter

Sneak peek JULY 2021 ISSUE

• Special Report: Farming/business investment portfolio – if you are starting out or bowing out. • Wildlife onfarm • Ahuwhenua winners • Sheep milking conference coverage

7


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Articles inside

Income gains from tiny spaces

1min
page 89

Four attributes of colostrum management

1min
page 88

Meal not metal

3min
pages 74-75

Off for a comfy liedown

4min
pages 72-73

Kitted out for calving

3min
pages 70-71

TO BE REGENERATIVE: verb, not noun

4min
pages 46-47

European market rebounding, but Chinese risk

3min
page 18

Editor's note

2min
page 7

50 years ago in the Dairy Exporter June

2min
pages 90-92

Generating value from dairy beef

1min
page 89

An efficient rotary system

1min
page 88

Minimum wage rise no joke

5min
pages 86-87

Conversations save lives

6min
pages 84-85

Staying strong onfarm

5min
pages 82-83

The perfect farming match

7min
pages 76-79

How resilient areNew Zealand pastures?

3min
pages 80-81

The good soil: Reducing nitrogen fertiliser

2min
page 65

Making a game plan to improve the whenua

6min
pages 66-69

The effluent efficiency experts

8min
pages 62-64

The science-based organic advocate

9min
pages 58-61

Taking grazing to the next level

6min
pages 54-57

On a ‘regen journey’

5min
pages 52-53

Aligned for the future

9min
pages 42-45

Engage but ground the practice in science

5min
pages 49-51

Once-a-day milking stigma a “thing of the past”

2min
pages 40-41

Eliminating human error

2min
page 39

Once-a-day ‘OKIE DOKIE’ for Oaklands

10min
pages 34-37

Want to change milking frequency? Plan for it

3min
page 38

Connecting on the rural business journey

4min
pages 30-31

NZ Merino embraces regenerative agriculture

4min
pages 32-33

One shot at wintering right

2min
pages 28-29

Chinese tea, with a cream twist

3min
pages 26-27

Farming with a higher purpose

8min
pages 22-25

Steady as she goes for dairy market

2min
pages 20-21

A lifetime of memories

3min
page 13

Irish margin biggest in Europe

6min
pages 14-17

Embracing change for good

2min
page 12

Younger than 50, older than 60

3min
page 11

Breaking barriers

3min
page 10
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