Environment and climate change 2008/09

Sustainable dairying is about balancing profitability with environmental responsibility. This is the thinking guiding DairyNZ's efforts in our work with farmers and industry partners to find environmental solutions that are practical and work on-farm, while reducing farmers' costs, and improving their efficiency and productivity.

A summary of projects carried out during the 2008/09 season in the Environment and Climate Change area.
Note: These were proposed contracted amounts. Actual final paid amounts may vary from these numbers.

Project	Project Number	Description	Partners	Funding (Excl. GST)
Regional Leadership	EN603	To progress the Dairy Industry Strategy for Sustainable Environmental Management at a regional level through the implementation of Regional Leadership groups (Dairy Action Teams) in the ten dairying regions.	DairyNZ Ltd	$160,000
P mitigation Rerewhakaaitu Catchment	EN608	To mitigate phosphate movement to ground and surface waters in the catchment of Lake Rerewhakaaitu.	Fruition Horticulture Ltd	$23,000
Characterising soil nutrient accumulation and loss from dairy farm pastures on the West Coast	EN609	The project aims to: Assess nutrient loss from two different key soil types to surface and groundwater Formulate and test best management practices for phosphorus use Help design better nutrient management strategies to minimise nutrient input to Lake Brunner.	Lake Brunner Sustainable Dairy Farming Group	$48,000
Improving the quality of rural waterbodies across a Broad Front	EN610	Create value for the dairy industry by developing tools for and leading the adoption of environmental sustainability practices on farm to address priority issues of nutrient and waste management across a broad front.	DairyNZ Ltd	$1,247,000
Building Dairy Environment Leaders	EN613	To develop an active network of highly effective regional dairy farming leaders that are equipped to lead and engage on environmental matters within, and on behalf of, the dairy industry.	NZ Farm Environment Awards Trust	$71,000
Environmental Monitoring on Lincoln University Dairy Farm	EN628	Monitor nitrogen losses from the Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) and use this information to help guide farm, industry and policy responses and develop environmentally robust management practices for use on irrigated dairy farms in the South Island.	Lincoln University	$85,000
Communications - Environment Programme	EN630	To target strategic and operational communications to significantly increase access and quality of information to all NZ dairy farmers and industry stakeholders on availability of practical solutions, the dairy industry's position on environmental issues, progress towards achieving its objectives and the industry's future directions.	DairyNZ Ltd	$240,000
Immediate Issues	EN631	To positively influence the outcomes of precedent-setting environmental programmes being imposed on NZ dairy farming.	DairyNZ Ltd	$320,000
Using maize to manage dairy shed effluent	EN633	To demonstrate an integrated nutrient management approach for production of maize silage by verifying the capacity for maize to strip stored nutrients and utilise dairy shed effluent as a nutrient source.	Foundation for Arable Research	$18,000
Adapting to a drier environment by improving irrigation practices	EN634	The aim of this project is to increase the uptake of already available irrigation practices and tools by dairy farmers, particularly in areas where water restrictions do or are likely to occur.	The Agribusiness Development Group NZ Ltd	$36,000
Optimising nutrient management on modified soils of the west coast	EN635	The objective of the SFF project is to demonstrate how, through adoption of best practice, dairy farmers can optimize nutrient use and reduce losses in West Coast hump, hollow and flipped soils.	Plant and Food Research	$18,000
Optimising nutrient and effluent management on Southland dairy farms	EN636	This project aims to develop advice, tools and processes that: improve on-farm effluent system management improve effluent systems and the use of nutrients reduce regional Dairy pollution incidents reduce Regional enforcement actions eliminate re-offending or persistent non-compliance	Southland Regional Council	$36,000
Grazing Strategies and standoff use to minimise nitrogen derived emissions from dairy farms	EN641	To develop applied knowledge and guidelines for the use of stand-off facilities to mitigate nitrogen-derived emissions on dairy farms.	DairyNZ Ltd	$76,000
Delivering Environmental Solutions for Sustainable Productivity Outcomes for New Zealand's Pastoral Industries	Pastoral21	Reducing N, P, sediment and FIOs to waterways from New Zealand pastoral industries.	AgResearch Ltd	$1,113,000
Reducing Ruminant Methane Emission	PGgRC	Goals of the Research Strategy are: Identify, establish and develop on-farm technologies to improve production efficiency for ruminants Identify, establish and develop on-farm technologies for sheep, dairy and beef cattle and deer, which lower methane emissions and nitrous oxide output Exploit commercial opportunities arising from the science and technologies in a global market.	PPGR Consortia Ltd	$427,000