2014 Reports

The New Zealand government wishes to double exports by 2025. To do this they wish to increase exports from agricultural sectors to $64 billion. To help, the government has invested in Primary Growth Partnership Programmes to advance science and farm system changes. This includes improving farm management systems. The genetic and genomic potential in the … Read more

Business model overview: The Thermo Kennel” has been designed to keep dogs warmer in winter and cooler in summer. I launched ‘The Thermo Kennel’ in the  Grass Roots Innovation  Section at Mystery Creek Fielday 2014. From the Fieldays I  took away the grass roots runner  up award, market  validation,  list of 100 potential customers,  concept … Read more

There are three main factors influencing Kiwifruit Growers profitability, productive yield, cost of production and the return they receive for the crop they produce. When a kiwifruit crop is put through a packhouse, it is separated by size and quality into four grades. Class 1 and 2 are usually exported, class 3 is usually sold … Read more

Instinctively as human beings we want to communicate. When children fail to speak their first word on time at the designated age, modern parents rapidly seek a medical and scientific reason for this failing in their offspring. Sometimes not reaching milestones is a good indicator of something not being well with the child and sometimes … Read more

Something seems wrong with the 50/50 contract because it is in decline. Sharemilking in New Zealand has been the main stepping stone up the Dairy Industry career pathway into farm ownership since the early 1900s. It has been a way of learning skills and at the same time building valuable equity for a dairy farmer … Read more

New Zealand has four prominent rural retailers, Ashburton Trading Society (ATS), Farmlands, RD1 and PGG Wrightson (PGW). Each of these businesses core, is providing farmers with goods and services. Over recent years we have seen numerous mergers and amalgamations, leading to the marketplace we have today. Each business is having success in different areas, contributing … Read more

Each of these areas, discussed either individually or collectively, has the potential to increase marketable yield and minimise waste through the supply chain directly or indirectly. The solution to reducing fruit waste and gaining efficiencies “lies in a combination of planning, investing, controlling, and partnering across the supply chain.” (Harz-Pitre 2013) The pipfruit industry needs … Read more

This study stems from the common farmer complaint, that there are too many perennial ryegrass options on the market, this number conservatively estimated at over 50, with a few and limited tools available to farmers to aid them with variety choice for their pasture renewal programme. A survey is conducted of 16 Dairy Women’s Network … Read more

Two years ago, I had an idea of adding a ‘one-stop-shop’ website into the brand that is, Farming Mums NZ. The aim of this study is to determine whether further, specific support and resources are wanted or needed by the Farming Mums NZ community and to initiate a game plan on how to get it … Read more