Field Notes Issue 744

In Aotearoa…

The Government has declared a drought in the Northland, Waikato, Horizons, and Marlborough-Tasman regions. The declaration allows farmers to access financial support, including tax relief and Rural Assistance Payments. The government has also confirmed a NZ $100,000 grant for organisations working with farmers in the affected areas.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand has proposed updating the definition of genetically modified (GM) foods in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. The proposed change will exempt certain genome-edited foods that are identical to conventional foods from requiring GM labelling.

Kiwiberry exports to China have resumed, with the first shipment in nine years exported last month. The industry has undertaken extensive regulatory compliance upgrades and undergone multiple audits to meet strict Chinese import standards after exports were halted in 2016.

Hawke's Bay Regional Council is investigating the feasibility of a NZ $225 million water storage facility to improve water security for the region. The proposed 27 million cubic metre reservoir would store winter flows to be released during dry summer months, addressing a projected shortfall in freshwater supply and support the region's horticulture, viticulture, and urban water needs.

In international news...

In the United Kingdom, the government has banned livestock imports from Hungary and Slovakia following a foot-and-mouth outbreak. The highly contagious disease was detected at a farm in Hungary near the border of Slovakia, prompting authorities to increase measures to prevent its spread.

Meanwhile, two consignments of potatoes from Poland tested positive for ring rot, a notifiable disease, during routine inspections in the UK. Ring rot can significantly impact potato yields, particularly favouring cooler climates.

The European Commission will invest €4.6 million (NZ $8.7 million) to develop a multi-sensor platform to detect toxins and pollutants in water. This new technology combines photonics with electrochemistry to identify petrochemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, and industrial waste that conventional monitoring devices often miss.

The United States Department of Agriculture will stop two programs providing food access for schools, daycares, food banks, and feeding organisations. The decision will cease the distribution of US $660 million ($1.15 billion) of local food purchases due to a lack of available funding.

Call for action ahead of International Women's Day [Rural News, 8 March]

Industry initiative, Women in Horticulture (WiH) has highlighted the gender disparity in leadership within the country's horticultural sector. International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8 and advocates gender equality initiatives. Despite women making up nearly half of the horticulture workforce, they occupy only about 20% of leadership roles. WiH stressed the importance of challenging unconscious bias and supporting more women in high-value leadership positions. Original full article here

Tags: international womens day, Women in Horticulture 

Sawdust superpower: Wood waste battery retains 60% capacity after 10,000 cycles [Interesting Engineering, 3 March]

Spanish researchers at the University of the Basque Country have developed a hybrid supercapacitor using carbon derived from Pinus radiata waste. The lithium-ion capacitor uses high-performance electrodes made from wood waste biomass. The innovation could lead to greener, high-power energy storage alternatives and reduce reliance on conventional and expensive materials, enhancing sustainability in the sector. Original full article here

Tags: biomass, hybrid supercapacitor, pinus radiata waste

Salmon industry apologises for impact of 'unprecedented mortality event' [ABC Rural, 7 March]

Australian industry body, Salmon Tasmania, has apologised following an unprecedented mass mortality event, which resulted in over 5,500 tonnes of dead fish, approximately 6% of the industry's annual production, being dumped at waste facilities. The mass mortality was largely caused by a bacterial strain, and has caused significant environmental and community concern, with salmon carcasses and fatty residues found on local beaches in recent weeks. The Environment Protection Authority is conducting an investigation whilst industry representatives have pledged an ongoing review of practises for sustainable farming for the industry.  Original full article here

Tags: Salmon, bacterial strain, environmental concern

Korean demand stretches for Fonterra mozzarella [Farmers Weekly, 11 March]

There is growing demand for Fonterra Co-operative Limited’s mozzarella cheese in South Korea, particularly through a partnership with leading retailer, Emart Traders. Emart’s hyperchain cafes are serving pizza topped with the co-operative’s IQF mozzarella, serving seven million customers in 2024. The partnership is to showcase the benefits of grass-fed dairy, and includes in-store displays to emphasise sustainability and high quality. South Korea's cheese consumption has increased by 160% over the past decade, with Fonterra Co-operative Limited exporting over 20,000 tonnes of cheese to the country in 2024. Original full article here

Tags: mozarella, pizza, South Korea

Regenerative brand GoodSAM Foods raises $9m to build up its ‘direct trade’ model with farmers [AgFunder News, 5 March]

Regenerative and natural products company, GoodSAM Foods has raised a total of US $10.5 million (NZ $18.32 million) to support the company's "direct trade" model. The direct trade model seeks to ensure fair wages for smallholder farmers by eliminating middlemen, buying food directly from the farmers. The company highlights the need to rethink business models to support regenerative agriculture and distribute financial burdens more equitably among all stakeholders. Original full article here

Tags: Direct trade model, regenerative farming