Regenerating Aotearoa: Investigating the impacts of regenerative farming practices [PDF, 7 MB]
Soil microbiome in regenerative agriculture
Project start: 2 May 2023
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $211,000
Industry funding: $148,000
Industry partner: Auckland University of Technology
Region: National
This project will investigate the importance of microbial communities. It will compare microbial communities, ranging from conventional to regenerative agriculture. By better understanding the relationship between soil biology and soil health, this project is the first step in being able to identify biological indicators that can be used to monitor the health and productivity of our soil.
Carbon Positive – Regenerating soil carbon in soils used for intensive field cropping
Project start: 16 December 2022
Project length: 6 years
MPI funding: $2,118,857
Industry funding: $902,000
Industry partner: Hawke's Bay Future Farming Charitable Trust, Kraft Heinz Watties NZ, McCain Foods, BASF, Hawke’s Bay Vegetable Growers Group, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, LandWISE, Hills Laboratories
Region: Hawke's Bay
The project will assess the economic and environmental impacts of adopting regenerative farming within a typical New Zealand cropping system, in particular studying the effects in degraded soils. It will take place on an established demonstration cropping farm in the Heretaunga Plains run by LandWlSE. The demonstration cropping farm will be split into replicate plots and three different management systems will be tested: fully conventional; fully regenerative; and a hybrid system.
Whenua Haumanu: Nurturing the land through exploring pastoral farming
Project start: 15 September 2022
Project length: 7 years
MPI funding: $17,581,000
Industry funding: $8,540,000
Research partners: Massey University, AgResearch, Dairy Trust Taranaki, Lincoln University, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, Riddet Institute
Industry partners: Fonterra, Synlait, Beef+LambNZ, DairyNZ, Pāmu, Northland Dairy Development Trust, Fertiliser Association of NZ, Ravensdown Fertiliser Cooperative, Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Livestock Improvement Corporation, PGG Wrightson Seeds, Agricom, Barenbrug, On-Farm Research, AgFirst and Quorum Sense
Region: Manawatū, Canterbury
This project focuses on both standard and diverse pastures and conventional and regenerative management practices. It’s taking place across several research sites to assess the suitability and relevance of regenerative agriculture in New Zealand. The project will measure multiple aspects across the farm system, exploring the impact on soils, pasture performance, animal production and welfare (dairy and sheep), nutrient levels and losses, carbon production and storage and product quality. The results gained from the project will provide a robust evidence base for both conventional and regenerative practices, with results being incorporated into scientific and industry models, and tested across a wide range of partner sites across New Zealand, to inform the international marketing of our agricultural products.
Outcome logic model [PDF, 168 KB]
Whenua Haumanu – Nurturing the land through exploring pastoral farming – YouTube (3.02)
Accelerated scale-up of an Atkins Ranch Savory Institute Producer Group
Project start: 13 July 2022
Project length: 2 years
MPI funding: $142,480
Industry funding: $213,720
Industry partner: Lean Meats Limited
Region: North Island
This is a farmer extension and engagement-focused project led by Atkins Ranch. It will build awareness of the challenges and opportunities surrounding regenerative agriculture verification across the sheep and beef sector. The project will assist in promoting and supporting the regenerative production of lamb meat and by-products, and deliver premiums to farmers by securing high-value contracts in overseas markets.
New project to help farmers gain regenerative agriculture certification – MPI media release
Te Whenua Hou Te Whenua Whitiora (The New Land, The New Horizons)
Project start: 5 August 2022
Project length: 7 years
MPI funding: $8,036,535
Industry funding: $3,548,720
Industry partner: Ngāi Tahu Farming Limited, Ngāi Tūāhuriri
Region: Canterbury
This whole-farm scale study in North Canterbury aims to validate the science of regenerative farming. The programme will scientifically evaluate the financial, social and environmental differences between regenerative and conventional practices. It will compare outcomes on a 286-hectare dairy farm at Ngāi Tahu Farming’s Te Whenua Hou farming operation in North Canterbury with the conventional approach of the farm next-door.
October to December 2022: Te Whenua Hou Te Whenua Whitiora (The New Land, The New Horizons) progress report [PDF, 355 KB]
August to September 2022: Te Whenua Hou Te Whenua Whitiora (The New Land, The New Horizons) progress report [PDF, 199 KB]
New programme to provide insights into regenerative dairy farming – Government media release
Regenerative management systems for New Zealand vegetable production
Project start: 20 June 2022
Project length: 3 years
MPI funding: $404,965
Industry funding: $600,000
Industry partner: Countdown NZ, LeaderBrand Produce
Region: Gisborne
Countdown and LeaderBrand are working with Plant & Food Research to explore regenerative farming practices, with a strong focus on validating the benefits and feasibility of incorporating regenerative agriculture principles and practices into intensive vegetable production in New Zealand. The project will assess the environmental, economic and social impacts of regenerative practices. This will include composting, cover crops and biodiverse perennial plantings. The project will emphasise community and iwi engagement.
Investigative Project Launched by Leaderbrand And Countdown – F&b tech
Diverse pastures and relevance to New Zealand dairy farming
Project start: 28 February 2022
Project length: 7 years
MPI funding: $2,286,371
Industry funding: $1,027,210
Industry partner: Dairy Trust Taranaki and DairyNZ
Region: Taranaki
This project will assess the economic and environmental impacts of adopting regenerative diverse pastures in a Taranaki dairy farming system. It will develop an evidence base to prove any links between diverse pastures and reduced nutrient loss, improved milk macro and micronutrients, increased soil water retention, soil carbon sequestration, and increased production and profits.
Farming with Native Biodiversity
Project start: 19 October 2021
Project length: 20 months
MPI funding: $998,200
Industry funding: $430,000
Industry partners: New Zealand Landcare Trust, Silver Fern Farms, Living Water Partnership
Region: Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Canterbury, Otago, Southland
This is a project pilot to develop science-based resources that enable farmers to take long-term affirmative action for biodiversity on their farm. The project will work with farmers, catchment groups, councils and others to develop case studies in different regions, people capability and co-develop resources that will bring biodiversity into farm systems thinking and provide proof of concept for applying nationally.
Funding boost for biodiversity pilot – Farmers Weekly
Advancing soil health on-farm and understanding impacts on dairy farm economic and environmental performance
Project start: 1 September 2021
Project length: 5 years
MPI funding: $2,815,500
Industry funding: $1,040,400
Industry partner: Synlait Milk Ltd, Danone Nutricia NZ Ltd
Region: Canterbury, Southland/Otago, Waikato
Synlait and Danone are partnering with AgResearch to benchmark and optimise soil health across 10 of their supplier farms. Regenerative practices such as hyper diverse pastures and limits on synthetic N fertilisers will be compared with conventional practices to build evidence on the impact of regenerative farming on soil health in New Zealand. The farms wider financial and environmental performance will also be evaluated.
Regenerative agriculture research receives Government boost – Beehive.govt.nz
Biodiversity for beneficial insects; delivering benefits to farmers from designed native plantings
Project start: 13 August 2021
Project length: 5 years
MPI funding: $2,209,030
Industry funding: $1,002,420
Industry partner: Plant & Food Research, Foundation of Arable Research, Synlait, Southern Pastures, Pāmu Landcorp, Beef + Lamb NZ, Brailsfords Ltd, Selwyn District Council and Ecan, some retired arable farmers
Region: Canterbury
This project will research the optimal mix of plant species, planting areas, and planting landscapes to maximise the number of insects providing pollination and predation behaviour without creating refuges for insect pests. It aims to produce guidance for farmers on how to design native plantings on their farms to target insects that will be both environmentally and economically beneficial.
Regenerative agriculture research receives Government boost - Beehive.govt.nz
Feasibility of mulch-direct planting and minimum till cultivation in commercial vegetable production systems in the Manawatu
Project start: 27 July 2021
Project length: 3 years 10 months
MPI funding: $89,369
Industry funding: $160,620
Industry partner: Wholegrain Organics
Region: Manawatu
This project's mission is to support the transition of commercial vegetable production operations in New Zealand to regenerative farming practices with the lowest risk possible to the farmer and maximum benefits to the environment. It will undertake a proof of concept trial of mulch-direct planting for commercial vegetable production in New Zealand conditions and provide robust measures of the environmental benefits.
Evaluating regenerative farming principles and developing farmer resilience on a dryland demonstration farm
Project start: 22 June 2021
Project length: 4.5 years
MPI funding: $1,530,000
Industry funding: $550,000
Industry partner: On-Farm Research, AgFirst, Hawke's Bay Regional Council, Barenburg New Zealand, Poukawa Research Foundation
Region: Hawke's Bay
This project will scientifically test and incorporate new forage management practices and principles of regenerative farming into a dryland sheep and cattle farming system. Practices like utilising compost, diverse seed mixtures, longer feed residuals, and deferred grazing will be compared against conventional farming practices within a dryland system. The project will also focus on improving farmer resilience and decision making.
Future dairy farm systems for Northland
Project start: 18 May 2020
Project length: 5 years
MPI funding: $776,114
Industry funding: $917,920
Industry partner: Northland Dairy Development Trust
Region: Northland
This project will demonstrate strategies that may help farmers adapt their farm systems to mitigate the effects of climate change and comply with changing regulations. It will test the effectiveness of three different dairy farm systems.
