Agriculture

Which ‘milk’ is best for the environment? We compared dairy, nut, soy, hemp and grain milks - Guest Work

Guest Author • Oct 15, 2020 •

• almond milk,
• environmental footprint,
• milk,
• nut milk,
• soy milk

Making eco-conscious choices at the shops can be tricky when we’re presented with so many options, especially when it comes to milk. Should we buy plant-based milk, or dairy? We’ve looked at the evidence to help you choose. Dora Marinova, Curtin University and Diana Bogueva, Curtin University Dairy has the biggest environmental footprint, by far Any plant-based milk, be it … Read More

The waggling wisdom of bees - Guest Work

Guest Author • Sep 04, 2020 •

• bee,
• insecticide,
• insects,
• NZ insects

To celebrate Bee Aware Month in New Zealand, guest writers Hannah Davidson and Elodie Urlacher from EPA describe why understanding the world of bees and other insects is important in protecting them from harm. It is a fresh spring morning, and you stretch your legs as you wait for your sister to return from a food run. Read More

The importance of the humble blueberry - Genomics Aotearoa

Genomics Aotearoa • Feb 26, 2020 •

• blueberries,
• cranberries,
• genomics,
• Plant & Food Research

Dr David Chagné New Zealand is involved in a US$12.8 million USDA grant to improve the quality of blueberry and cranberry. The four-year project, led by North Carolina State University, is part of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative, which funds multi-year, multi-institutional collaborative projects. Genomics Aotearoa and Plant and Food Research Ltd have … Read More

How plant-based meat is stretching New Zealand’s cultural and legal boundaries - Guest Work

Guest Author • Dec 05, 2019 •

• artificial meat,
• Commerce Commission,
• fast food,
• meat consumption,
• plant-based meat

Samuel Becher, Victoria University of Wellington and Jessica C Lai, Victoria University of Wellington Earlier this year, the New Zealand-based pizza chain Hell Pizza offered a limited-edition “Burger Pizza”. Its customers weren’t told that the “meat” was plant-based. Some customers complained to the Commerce Commission, which enforces consumer law in New Zealand. Yet, others did not mind … Read More

Political parties and GMOs: we all need to move on - Code for life

Grant Jacobs • Nov 14, 2019 •

• biosynthesis,
• climate change,
• gene editing,
• genetically modified organisms,
• gmo,
• GMOs,
• Green Party,
• New Zealand,
• Vaccine,
• Zero Carbon Bill

Recently more than 150 post-graduate students and young scientists presented an open letter to the Green Party via The Spinoff, encouraging them to reconsider their position on genetic modification. Their target is tackling climate change issues.[1] Can any party continue to be dismissive about genetic modification (GM) contributing to better agriculture? We all want safe food, and … Read More

Shocks to the system - FutureworkNZ

Guest Author • Sep 11, 2019 •

• farming,
• primary industries,
• sheep,
• synthetic wool,
• Technology,
• wool

Nik Green As a small country that’s far away from most of the world, it’s not surprising that many have worried about New Zealand’s exposure to shocks from things like technology. New Zealand has been hit by many such shocks over its history, although they’ve not always been negative for work or incomes. For many New Zealanders of my … Read More

Regenerative farming can help grow food with less impact - Unsorted

Guest Author • Sep 11, 2019 •

• Agriculture,
• carbon emissions,
• climate change,
• soil,
• soil carbon

Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nz I would like to know to what extent regenerative agriculture practices could play a role in reducing carbon … Read More

Apocalypse Cow - The Dismal Science

Michael Reddell • Jul 02, 2019 •

• dairy industry,
• Dairy Industry Restructuring Act,
• DIRA,
• Fonterra

That was the title of Wellington economist Peter Fraser’s talk at Victoria University last Friday lunchtime on why Fonterra has failed (it is apparently also a term in use in various bits of popular culture, all of which had passed me by until a few moments ago – and a Google search).    Peter is a former public servant … Read More

Beyond the Robofarm - Ariadne

Robert Hickson • Apr 03, 2019 •

• Agriculture,
• farming,
• future,
• innovation,
• New Zealand,
• robotics,
• science system,
• Technology

It’s easy to get momentarily excited about robots on the farm, particularly if they are close to home, picking apples or herding stock. Robots have been rolling out onto farms elsewhere for several years and the pace is picking up, so NZ is in … Read More

Not cow farts - Code for life

Grant Jacobs • Feb 09, 2019 •

• cattle,
• cow,
• cow fart,
• methane

You may have heard or read media outlets talking of cow farts.[1] This tweet from  University of California at Davis animal biotechnology/genomics scientist, Alison Van Eenennaam might help – I’m sure I’ve been guilty of lazily using it. Eructation is a very polite and fancy way of saying burp. As the dictionary puts it, “a belch”. (Yes, … Read More