Discussion

As Published in ‘Grower’ Magazine February 2010. Like many farmers who have adopted precision agriculture, Tim Macfarlane is using GPS to control his machinery.  This gives savings in time, fuel, labour, machinery and other input costs. Tim farms Holton Farm near Kaiapoi.  He grows sweetcorn and pumpkin for the fresh market and seed ... READ MORE

Ponding of surface runoff from rainfall and irrigation can reduce crop production. The ‘Holding it together’ project addresses this. Plant & Food Research and LandWISE are working with growers on ways to reduce surface ponding, improve soil quality and increase returns. MAF Sustainable Farming Fund, Fresh Vegetable Product Group ... READ MORE

2010 LandWISE Conference Know Your Farm – With Precision Ag, Havelock North, 12th & 13th May. The LandWISE conference aims to be to the leading Precision Agriculture event in New Zealand each year. You will get to meet other farmers, growers and industry people with an interest in Precision Agriculture.  And  hear world class speakers ... READ MORE

As Published in ‘Grower Magazine December 2009′ Scott Lawson is a BioGro certified farmer who is using precision agriculture (PA) techniques on his Hawke’s Bay farm.  Produce from his farm is marketed through the True Earth brand. Scott is a founding member, and a Director of LandWISE. At Lawson’s Organic Farms they integrate ... READ MORE

From Grower Magazine November 2009 Precision Agriculture, or ‘information rich farming’, is a rapidly increasing part of New Zealand crop production.   Precision Agriculture is allowing growers to be more efficient with inputs and lift their profitability while making their farming more sustainable. Sustainable profitability is why many ... READ MORE

On Monday 16 November 2009, a field walk was held in conjunction with FAR, at John and Jack Evan’s farm in Dorie. This is an Advanced Farming Systems Project farm and includes a strip tillage trial. James Powrie and Dan Bloomer spoke about the LandWISE Advanced Farming Systems project, what the various farmers are achieving with Precision Ag ... READ MORE

On Thursday 19 November a LandWISE field day started at 10am at NZ Fresh Cuts at Mangere, South Auckland. Chris Butler described the adoption of a permanent bed system in their salad growing operation. GPS use and Controlled Traffic Farming have evolved there, to the point where fuel savings of about 50% are being gained over conventional ... READ MORE

On Tuesday 24 November 2009 an Advanced Farming Systems and Holding It Together Project update was given by James Powrie- LandWISE and Paul Johnstone- Plant and Food Research. The update was held at Levin RSA following on from a HIT project team meeting. In the afternoon this was followed by a field walk to Woodhaven Gardens where Antonia Glaria ... READ MORE

On 1 December about 20 visitors walked the paddocks at Opou Station, Manutuke, near Gisborne. This field walk was courtesy of David Clark and gave local farmers and industry people a chance to view his Precision Agriculture program in maize. 8 seasons of controlled traffic have benefited soil structure, biology and profitability at this site ... READ MORE

On 3 December 2009 FAR held their Combinable Crops Field Day at their arable trial site in Chertsey in Canterbury. 420 attended and saw presentations on technology, cropping, water and Precision Ag. Speakers included Carolyn Hedley from Landcare Research on Precision Irrigation, Ian Yule from NZ Centre for Precision Ag, along with FAR presenters ... READ MORE