A few mouse clicks will allow farmers and growers to share and collate environmental compliance data and increase export value if a new research program is successful, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund (SFF Futures) is supporting the research. The research aims at speeding up the delivery a digital solution for farm environmental plans. Trust Alliance New Zealand (TANZ) is leading the $493,500 SFF Futures contribution to the $823,000.500 project.
“We have a key objective to deliver integrated farm planning that reduces duplication and costs for growers and farmers, while also meeting new environmental goals. Damien O’Connor explained that research will help us get there.
“TANZ is currently exploring and designing a proof of concept for a digital Farm Environment Plan, (dFEP), solution to move away the current paper-based approach. This will allow New Zealand farmers the ability to quickly and effectively share and collect information on their farms that is required for environmental regulation.
By 2025, farmers will have to comply with environmental regulations such as water quality and emissions management. The dFEP project aims at completing their study in New Zealand within the next year. This will allow them to identify ways to improve data sharing and streamline the process for growers and farmers. The project will also collaborate with other parties like regulators, industry partners, regulators, MPI, the Ministry for the Environment as well as regional councils and AgriTech NZ.
Damien O’Connor stated, “TANZ will draw upon their findings to develop a better way for data interoperability and security in a way that keeps farmers/growers in control of the information.”
“One of the main goals of this project is education and awareness-raising of farmers and growers, in order to make them understand the benefits this new way data management and permissions data sharing.”
Federated Farmers New Zealand is a member TANZ and will help farmers.
Damien O’Connor stated that supporting a more sustainable farming industry aligns with the values of Government’s Fit for a Better World primary sector roadmap, which aims at increasing productivity, sustainability, and jobs over the next 10 years.
“High-value customers from overseas are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their purchases. Damien O’Connor explained that by helping the industry to improve its reputation, we can move to where our markets go and we accelerate our recovery from COVID-19.
“The more we can make compliance easier for farmers, the better it will be for our environment.”
(With Inputs From New Zealand Government Press release)
