Primary sector investment projects

This project will trial Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder technology to control weeds in LeaderBrand crops. The LaserWeeder uses advanced cameras, artificial intelligence, and precision lasers to eliminate weeds without chemicals, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional methods. By reducing labour needs, lowering input costs, and minimising waste and environmental impact, the technology has strong potential to improve overall crop quality and efficiency. 

Throughout the trial, the project will collect robust data on performance, costs, and return on investment. The results will be shared with the wider industry to help New Zealand growers make informed decisions about adopting laser‑weeding technology. 

This programme is designed to unlock the value of non-replacement dairy calves – those not needed to replenish dairy herds or already entering dairy-beef systems – by developing innovative, New Zealand-focused approaches that suit the country’s seasonal, pasture-based farming system. It focuses on 3 key areas: improving efficiency through genetics and systems; supporting smarter breeding and lactation strategies; and developing new pathways and value chains.

Dairy and beef sectors welcome Government investment in Dairy Beef Opportunities programme

Dairy Beef Opportunities - programme webpage

This project aims to equip arable and vegetable cropping farmers and industry stakeholders with reliable, up-to-date information, tools, and strategies for integrated weed management. This sustainable approach will help farm businesses maintain market access and profitability, and reduce the risk of herbicide resistance.

This project will develop a user-friendly toolbox that translates complex scientific results and data on forest hydrology into usable and relevant information for stakeholders. This will contribute towards sustainable and resilient land use planning and water allocation. 

This project builds on earlier work with MPI that transformed mid‑micron New Zealand wool into soft, comfortable, premium knitwear using advanced yarn processing and 3D knitting. This next stage aims to expand the product range into hard‑wearing garments, improve production efficiency, and support stronger market engagement to grow exports of high‑value mid‑micron wool clothing.    

This project aims to test alternative pasture species (grasses and clovers) to build resilience for New Zealand farmers in a changing and variable climate. It will develop climate change tolerant pastures and management techniques that integrate into existing farm systems.

Resilient Pastures programme – DairyNZ website

Resilient Pastures outcome logic model [PDF, 192 KB]

The vadose zone, also known as the unsaturated zone, is the Earth's subsurface area above the water table, which is critical for water filtration and storage. This project will install New Zealand’s first Vadose zone Monitoring System (VMS) in the Hekeao/Hinds Plains, Canterbury, to monitor subsoil and groundwater. It will compare its effectiveness alongside alternative vadose zone monitoring options to determine which method works best on-farm to monitor nutrient leaching. 

Building a Premium Pathway is a strategic initiative to grow the value and visibility of New Zealand apples in the Japanese market. The project supports all New Zealand apple varieties and benefits growers nationwide by enhancing supply chain efficiency, strengthening cold storage capacity, and building long-term customer relationships.

This project aims to develop new ingredients that are safe and effective for people with food allergies, specifically cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA). It will assess new hydrolysed whey protein ingredients for use in CMPA applications.

This project will carry out a trial of the most effective replacements for the highest global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and assess options for leak detection and prevention. 

This project is exploring a non-chemical solution to combat Red Needle Cast, a damaging disease affecting Radiata Pine.

This project will establish robust large-scale farming of Asparagopsis armata in New Zealand to produce livestock feed. The project team will work with growers to optimise the conditions for large-scale Asparagopsis biomass production; establish robust methods for analysing bromoform levels in Asparagopsis; and support the development of an industrial Asparagopsis supply chain.

Norbormide is non-persistent and highly toxic to rats. This project aims to investigate and establish the manufacturing and distribution supply chain for a norbormide-based rodenticide for domestic and international use in primary industries, conservation and residential settings. 

This project works to scale microbially-derived dairy proteins from 20 litres to a pre-industrial scale. This includes researching and optimising fermenter design for price and quality, and showcasing that this technology can be applied to produce food proteins. The project also investigates the viability of continuous fermentation processes and their impact on the bottom line and unit economics.

The Mello project will research, test, refine and prepare for commercialisation a Soju-based ready to drink (RTD) product using natural fruit flavouring. The project will pave the way to help reduce fruit waste and create an additional revenue stream from a new drink product marketed domestically and overseas.

This project aims to develop a prototype compact autonomous electric towing vehicle and an integrated electric drive system for auxiliary equipment, including mowers, mulchers and sprayers. These are for commercialisation in the horticultural, viticultural and turf management markets. If successfully commercialised, this innovation would reduce carbon emissions, enhance productivity, promote sustainability, and establish New Zealand as a leader in autonomous electric agricultural technology.

This programme will pilot New Zealand's first open ocean salmon farm, together with technology to produce productive and resilient king salmon stock at scale.

Going for growth in exports and aquaculture – Beehive

Quarterly progress report summaries

November 2025 to January 2026: Future Farming progress report [PDF, 241 KB]

August 2025 to October 2025: Future Farming progress report [PDF, 151 KB]

May 2025 to July 2025: Future Farming progress report [PDF, 168 KB]

February 2025 to April 2025: Future Farming progress report [PDF, 172 KB]

A key bottleneck for the Greenshell mussel industry is the low survival rates for spat (wild caught and hatchery bred) when transferred onto mussel farms. This project will explore early intervention methods in the farming lifecycle to increase spat retention rates. 

July to September 2025: Nurture First progress report [PDF, 79 KB]

Project summary:

This project will research and design fish feed specifically for New Zealand’s King salmon farming industry that is suitable for open sea farming. This will contribute to the long-term success of the industry.

Backing innovation to grow King salmon – Beehive

Skretting Australia leads Primary Sector Growth-Funded collaboration with New Zealand to advance NZ salmon feed innovation – Skretting

Aqualinc Research Ltd, with support from Irrigation New Zealand, is leading a project to modernise irrigation demand modelling and align water allocations with actual use on the ground. By upgrading the IrriCALC system and developing a robust, nationally consistent database, the project will improve allocation efficiency and help reduce over-allocation. It will enable fairer, evidence-based decisions — boosting economic returns while protecting New Zealand’s freshwater resources.