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Daily Digest: June 4, 2020

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We usually associate the growing of crops like soy with massive plantations in the United States and Brazil or quinoa with the northwest Andes.
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Many Kiwis don’t realise such voguish crops can be grown in New Zealand soil and well. Researchers at Leftfield Innovation started by looking at 22 grains and pulses farmers might make a living from and narrowed them down to six – soy, hemp, chickpeas, oats, buckwheat and quinoa.

With the emphasis on plant proteins they asked whether local consumers will be interested in buying these crops from sustainable Kiwi farmers. 

It appears they are though there is still a lot of water to flow under the bridge before production ramps up. Suitable varieties need to be bred for local conditions, long-term supply agreements signed and further market research done. 

As the Next Generation Systems programme points out, the challenge isn’t whether we can grow these crops but rather in understanding how to fit all the pieces of the value chain together.

 

Beef + Lamb plans court appeal 

Beef + Lamb will probably go to the Environment Court to appeal against some of Waikato Regional Council’s Healthy Rivers plan change to clear up ambiguities. However, it is pleased about changes that have been made to the grandparenting approach to pollution.

  

New crops with potential  

A new report has identified six crops – soy, hemp, chickpeas, buckwheat, oats and quinoa – as being potential game breakers for growing in New Zealand. Work still remains to be done on the extent of consumer demand for the crops.

  

Career seminars in lakes district 

Primary sector organisations will display their wares and encourage the jobless in Queenstown and Te Anau to think about careers in forestry or on farms. The region has been hard hit by the decline of tourism.

 

Forestry owners criticise new rules 

The Forest Owners Association says new rules to provide a predictable flow of logs to domestic processors could curb the forestry sector’s ability to create jobs.

 

Instore days go online 

Covid-19 has changed how Ruralco will run its 2020 Instore Days and this year famers nationwide can take part by getting online rather than in the ute.

  

Tonight on Sarah’s Country

 7.10pm – Kiwi sheep farmers value their sheep dogs as their hardest workers on the farm. Imagine if dogs became robots? That reality is here thanks to the NZ software company Rocos. Chief executive David Inggs joins us to find out what makes Spot better than the real thing. 

7.20pm – The deer industry remains cautious of the Government’s latest freshwater policy decisions given there is little expertise outside of the deer industry about how to minimise the impacts of deer on the environment. Deer Industry NZ chairman Ian Walker joins us to discuss his concern. 

7.30pm – Uncertainty, high stakes and small margins have underpinned farmers’ stress for generations. Nuffield scholar Corrigan Sowman joins us to share what he found was the best lesson for thriving in this new environment can be found with the All Blacks’ mindset. 

7.40pm – Woolgrowers are receiving a premium contracting wool to Carrfields Primary Wool supplying specialist-breed Astino wool to air filter producer Lanaco. Lanaco chief executive Nick Davenport joins us to discuss how the Kiwi made wool face masks are in hot demand globally.

 

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