Ashburton Courier: December 03, 2020
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www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> <strong>Courier</strong>, <strong>December</strong> 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />
31<br />
Another arable field day success<br />
Hundreds of people turnedout to<br />
the Foundation for Arable<br />
Research’s (FAR) annualCrops<br />
field day at Chertsey yesterday.<br />
It was touted as Canterbury’s<br />
biggest farming event and was one<br />
of the fewagricultural industry<br />
gatherings to go ahead this year<br />
due to Covid19.<br />
Therewerearange of speakers<br />
on site including Wakanui farmer<br />
Eric Watson, PGG Wrightson’s<br />
Steve Shorter, and PureOil’s<br />
Keith Gundry as well as FAR’s<br />
own team talking about the latest<br />
research for the future of New<br />
Zealand cropping. The event<br />
which started in 1995 is in its 25th<br />
year.<br />
Farmers and industry<br />
personnel turned out to hear the<br />
speakers cover topics on soil<br />
protection, catch crops, nitrogen<br />
use, about new crop options and to<br />
learn practical ‘how to’ messages<br />
to arable growers.<br />
FARchief executive Dr Alison<br />
Stewart saidthe arable industry’s<br />
importance to Kiwiswas<br />
highlighted this year as Covid19<br />
lockdowns impacted food<br />
supplies.<br />
“New Zealand’s $2.1 billion<br />
arable industry supplies key<br />
ingredients such as locally grown<br />
grains, which form an important<br />
part of many Kiwi’s diets. The<br />
team at FAR are proud to<br />
Lincoln Agritech's Peter Carey talks at Crops <strong>2020</strong> about catch crops: creating winwins for farmers and<br />
the environment.<br />
PHOTO: TONI WILLIAMS<br />
recognise the role of the arable<br />
farmers whose efforts fuel our<br />
local economy, particularly in<br />
times of hardship anddisruption<br />
such as those experienced this<br />
year. Crops<strong>2020</strong>isour chance to<br />
acknowledge and applaud the<br />
resilience of our industry<br />
members,”DrStewart said.<br />
Arable growers around the<br />
country supply grains and seeds<br />
for awide range of bread and<br />
baked produce, beer and oils as<br />
well as providing critical grass<br />
seed and animal feed for the $20<br />
billion livestock industry. While<br />
remaining relatively unknown to<br />
their fellow Kiwis, the 11,500<br />
workers employed in thesector<br />
are global leaders in the<br />
productionofcarrot, radish,<br />
ryegrass and white clover seed as<br />
well as holdingthe world yield<br />
records for both wheat and barley.<br />
“Crops <strong>2020</strong> provides amuchneeded<br />
social and educational<br />
event for our industryafter a<br />
challenging year.‘‘ FAR not only<br />
shared their research findings,<br />
but alsosponsor’s machinery,<br />
cultivar, agrichemical and other<br />
productdemonstrations.<br />
The event was followed by a<br />
celebration dinner to mark FAR’s<br />
quarter century supportingthe<br />
arable industry.<br />
IN BRIEF<br />
TEAMWORK<br />
Federated Farmers<br />
and Fish andGame<br />
willworktogether more<br />
closely to identify<br />
areas of collaboration.<br />
The twohave ahistory<br />
of strugglingto<br />
appreciate each<br />
other’s pointofview.<br />
HoweverFeds<br />
president Andrew<br />
Hoggardsaid<br />
discussionswere<br />
under wayleadingthe<br />
way forward to amore<br />
productive<br />
relationship.<br />
GREEN GOLD<br />
Spirulina farming,<br />
potentiallyworth more<br />
than $100 million a<br />
yeartoindustry, will<br />
get significant<br />
investment by the<br />
Sustainable Food&<br />
FibreFutures Fundina<br />
new two yearproject.<br />
MPI, SFFFutures<br />
Fundand NZ Algae<br />
InnovationsLtd are coinvestingmore<br />
than<br />
half amilliondollars to<br />
assessthe viability of<br />
largescale spirulina<br />
productiongenerally<br />
cultivated in pondsor<br />
natural lakes,<br />
harvested,and dried.<br />
Christmas Gift Ideas <strong>2020</strong><br />
Jewellery<br />
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Christmas<br />
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Assorted<br />
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Christmas<br />
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