Scholar Reports

Farmers show strong interest in biodiversity credits, but high administrative costs and unclear financial incentives remain challenges. This report by Tim Orlando-Reep recommends simplifying measurement and updating carbon sequestration tables.

Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming approach aiming to regenerate soil health and biodiversity. Pranoy Pal’s Kellogg report asserts that a lack of scientific data, limited support, high initial costs and no commercial incentives remain major hindrances to adoption in the kiwifruit industry.

This report by Anna Vaughan evaluates if genotyping NZ ewes delivers enough genetic, market, and sustainability benefits to justify cost and adoption challenges.

NZ’s food exports depend on strong global partnerships and market trust. This report by Olivia Smith explores how innovation, integrity, and strategic investment, not volume alone, enable lasting competitiveness, helping the sector stay resilient and relevant in volatile global markets.

This report by Nick Vernon, examines how biodiversity actions, community expectations, and stakeholder involvement intersect to build trust, improve environmental results, and support long-term sustainability.

This report by Natasha Cave examines virtual fencing for beef cattle, its potential to lift pasture management and environmental protection, while emphasising that success requires farmer training, industry support and research.

This report by Matt Scarf investigates how ending NZ’s GE-Free status could affect the organic sector, threatening premiums, trust, and growth, while recommendations include clear government pathways, integration into environmental programmes, and promotion of integrity and innovation.

This report by Campbell Smith looks at the adoption of livestock weighing tech lags due to trust, usability, integration, support, cost thresholds, and peer influence despite clear benefits.

NZ wine confronts rising costs and unpredictable markets. This report by Zac Howell reveals how smarter data use, strong governance, and industry trust can unlock interoperability, boost traceability, secure market access, and drive efficiency for sustained growth and global success.

As trust in news erodes, NZ’s food and fibre sector still values reliable journalism. This report by Bryan Gibson explores how tailored, ethical, and accessible news can regain credibility, helping farmers make better decisions while sustaining a resilient media landscape.

Tara Dwyer reports the New Zealand sheep sector stands at a critical juncture, requiring courage, collaboration, and leadership, with recommendations for genuine product differentiation and investment to reverse declining flock numbers and diminishing profitability.

This report by Tim Waehling shows how East Coast maize grain growers can boost resilience and profitability by building collaborative networks to overcome costs and market pressures.

Wearable technologies offer real benefits in monitoring, labour efficiency, and safety on NZ dairy farms. David March’s report discovers that for high-performing operations, financial returns remain limited, highlighting the need to weigh costs, farm performance, and alternative investments before adoption.

This report by Geoff Crawford asserts that co-products in the “Fifth Quarter” are undervalued, limiting farmers’ returns and that improved transparency, collaboration, and fair value distribution are needed.

Are microplastics entering NZ’s dairy supply? This report by Nicky Halley explores potential risks, public concern, and practical steps for farmers, industry, and policymakers to safeguard health, trust, and the nation’s clean, green reputation.

This report seeks to gain understanding of farmer water quality perspectives in the Amuri Basin and what factors in their farming systems they were prepared to adopt to achieve better water quality outcomes, along with identifying what the barriers to implementation are.

Cameron’s report examines whether monetised benefits from increased carbon sequestration or positive biodiversity outcomes could offset the costs of pest management and protection of native vegetation in NZ. The findings inform policy development for achieving national climate and biodiversity commitments.

This report by Michele Findlay examines how rural managers build trusted, high-value relationships with clients in food and fibre. It identifies attributes, leadership practices, and organisational support for high performance, highlighting trust-building, technical and interpersonal skills, and proactive insight.

Exploring agritourism as a way for farmers to boost resilience amid inflation, environmental pressure and price volatility through income diversification.

Veterinarians are vital to MPI’s export, biosecurity, and food safety systems. This research identifies key retention challenges and offers strategies to build a resilient, engaged veterinary workforce.

This report explores how NZ dairy farmers approach on-farm data sharing amid regulatory pressures. Farmers are rational—sharing data when trust, control, and value are assured. The “make/save/comply” framework captures their motivations, stressing the need for ethical, transparent, and mutually beneficial data ecosystems.

Leadership in NZ agriculture now values people management. This report conducted a study of farm leaders and found trust, empathy, and reflection are key traits, developed through experience and mentorship. This excellent report offers practical leadership insights for first-time managers.

This report explores integrating biopesticides and IPM in NZ horticulture. Barriers include limited knowledge, resistance to change, and outdated regulations. Recommendations highlight education, expert collaboration, and technology use to support adoption and meet export demands sustainably.

NZ dairy farmers prove profit and sustainability can align—pasture smart, cost-savvy, and values-led. A balance worth backing.