The Waimumu Downs Project

28/03/2024

From keynote presentations to hands-on workshops, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with industry experts, explore cutting-edge solutions, and gain valuable insights to enhance their farming practices. This never-before-seen event will showcase top speakers and emerging technologies. Wi...

26/03/2024

08/07/2023

Winter grazing enforcement update

We are hearing and seeing some inaccurate information about enforcement action relating to winter grazing practice in Southland. Here are the facts.
- To date, Environment Southland has issued 5 abatement notices and 1 infringement for $300, this season, for breaches to the National Environmental Standard.
An abatement notice asks a farmer to stop grazing the paddock and to become compliant with the rules, by undertaking actions appropriate to their property. There is no fine with an abatement notice, only a cost recovery invoice for the investigation. However, there are consequences if the notice is ignored. One infringement was issued after advice was not followed up.
- If non-compliance is noted, we have a responsibility to acknowledge it and to act to prevent or stop environmental degradation. We are legally required to enforce the rules.
- Before the issuing of abatement notices we tried to contact all the farmers to discuss their situation and have since spoken to them all. In those calls we found people to be cooperative and genuinely interested in working to become compliant.
- Our message has been consistently clear about wanting to work with farmers to ensure their winter grazing activities are complying with the rules. We actively provide advice, education and support where we can, to assist farmers. Our compliance, integrated catchment management and consents teams are here to help.

27/05/2023

Well done Steve and Kelly well deserved

27/05/2023

Shame about the weather but the kids ran so well

13/03/2023

Danielle and Bagel. Heading back to the paddock after, leading practise and lots of cuddles and brushing.

12/03/2023

Andrew and Penny having one of their many chats

07/03/2023

Fish Of The Year 2023 voting is now open 🐠 🦈

Want to see your favourite freshwater or marine fish honoured with the prestigious Fish Of The Year crown? Experiencing Marine Reserves - EMR have given you the opportunity! Head to https://emr.org.nz/fish to have your say, or even just to learn about our ika. Voting is open until Friday 31st March.



📷 Angus McIntosh, University of Canterbury - Giant kōkopu

22/08/2022

Research run by artificial breeding companies LIC and CRV is one step closer to giving farmers the ability to breed low methane-emitting cows.

22/07/2022

Did you know…? (Source: FAR)

08/07/2022

For anyone driving past and wondering what’s happening in the front paddock.

All our products go through extensive research and development trials before we make them available to farmers to make sure they’re the best of the best.

Our R&D team has been busy harvesting our newest kale and swede varieties down in Gore as part of stage 2 of our trial program. During stage 2 trials, we put the new breeding lines with the most promise to the test against current commercially available cultivars and monitor how they perform. We’re looking for any benefits they will add to the farm, such as yield, leaf-to-stem or leaf-to-bulb ratios, disease tolerance, or stem/bulb softness.

Right now, there are 25 kale cultivars and 44 swede cultivars in the mix — if these new varieties are top performers, they will become the next generation of kale and swedes!