MAF pushes technology transfer at field days

Agriculture officials plan to use the national agricultural expo open at Mystery Creek today to urge farmers to remain sustainable, resilient and productive in the face of economic and environmental challenges.

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) chief executive Murray Sherwin said that farming practices had evolved over the years to meet the market demands of the day.

"New Zealand farmers are good at what they do and have a proven capacity to respond to changing conditions," he said.

"Now more than ever, farmers need to be drawing on their skills and experience."

Challenges they faced including the global recession, climate change and the need to balance sustainability with profitability.

Mr Sherwin said MAF was promoting technology transfer -- persuading farmers to take up new farming tools and technologies.

MAF has taken its own stand at the field days, near Hamilton and is also in partnership with Waikato Regional Council and AgResearch at another stand with Overseer computer software, which farmers can use to draw up nutrient budgets.

Developed by AgResearch, the Fertiliser Research Association and MAF, the software helps farmers to see what impact changing their fertiliser and nutrient use will have on productivity, costs and profit.

Mr Sherwin said the display will also show how the software can be used to manage on-farm greenhouse gas emissions.

MAF's own stand is providing information on climate change, effects, planning for recovery from adverse events, and practical farming solutions for climate change.

This would help propagate new tools, technologies and ways of farming which were emerging as farmers adapted to climate changes.

"We are using the field days as a way of demonstrating what practical solutions are available to help the primary sector remain sustainable and viable, and what steps are already being taken by innovative farmers to make positive changes," said Mr Sherwin.

"The level of success achieved over the next decade will ultimately rest on the capacity of the individual land manager to manage changing conditions."