Foundation for Arable Research FAR has two staff members working within the cereal industry. Nick Poole is FAR’s Research Coordinator with particular research interests in reduced tillage techniques, crop sequences and disease management. Nick also coordinates FAR’s research programme in Australia which is funded by the Grains Research Development Corporation (GRDC). (021 544 411). Rob Craigie is the cereals Project Manager. Previously he has had research, agronomy and management roles in the potato and wasabi industries. Rob liaises with farmers to proactively assess their needs and identify research priorities. He then works with the research team to implement the research. The delivery of research findings back to the farmer base is an essential part of his role. (021 575 303).
Prioritising research FAR invests in a range of research projects which aim to provide benefits to arable farmers. Although most of the research is shorter term field trials which aim to improve crop productivity, there is an increasing
demand for FAR to provide information which will help farmers in the environmental, climate change and new opportunities areas. This research tends to be longer term and have a broader less crop specific focus than much of the research FAR has invested in in the past. Often this research has significant co-investment from the government and other primary sectors. FAR has recently formed a Strategic Research Committee (SRC) to help ensure FAR invests in quality strategic research and extension activities which will deliver benefits to New Zealand arable farmers. FAR staff now have significant expertise in ensuring the best research on individual crops is undertaken. FAR will continue to use members of the Arable Research Groups (ARGs) in deciding on the future research, the detail of the research and reviewing existing research. The SRC is comprised of selected farmers, FAR staff, research and industry personnel who are expected to provide the range of skills needed to have robust discussions and making decisions in relation to research investments in this area. Member John Wright Russell Fleming Hugh Ritchie Jim Macartney Craige Mackenzie Stephen Goldson Kevin Marshall Peter Stone Ken Taylor Nick Pyke Nick Poole Andrea Pearson
Representing Chairman and grower Grower Grower Grower Grower Industry/Research Industry Industry Environment Canterbury FAR FAR FAR
The SRC meets three times a year to visit field trials and meet with research providers, review project results and decide on research investment. Contact details for the SRC can be obtained from FAR.
Cereal research strategy Each season FAR has about 30 cereal research projects in progress. These cover the range of agronomic topics including nitrogen, weed, disease and insect management. Some examples of current projects include: • Disease management in newer cereal cultivars. • New technology to manage nitrogen in cereals (by analysing the nutrient status of the crop canopy with remote sensors). • Ryegrass control in wheat with the latest herbicide chemistry. • Investigate the carry over of Take-All inoculums following different cereal species. • Sowing depth and Gardoprim timing on winter sown wheat. 1. National cultivar evaluation Each year FAR produces two cultivar evaluation booklets (autumn and spring editions). The booklets compile yield, quality and disease resistance traits of established and new cultivars, collected from trials in the main growing regions of the country. 2. Farming systems As well as specific in-crop cereal projects, FAR has increased its investment in farming systems research, looking at relationships between different crops in the rotation. The MAF SFF/FAR non-inversion agronomy and cropping sequence projects are examples of this work. 3. Environment (water, soil and air quality, contaminants, climate change) This sector is gaining in importance as the industry gets to grips with the potential effect of climate change and increasing pressure on the water resource. Examples of investments include:
• A three year project developing irrigation management guidelines for individual crops so that growers achieve the best economic and environmental outcomes within their farming operation.
• International conference - a two day event held every three years.
4. End use New cultivars are evaluated over several seasons for the milling and feed industries. All projects are aimed to add value to the cereal industry.
ARABLE RESEARCH
• Autumn seminar - a one day event held every three years.
Cereal
• An Eco-N trial investigating if nitrogen can be retained in the soil over winter from cattle grazed pasture for use by a subsequent cereal crop. • Maximising the efficiency of both nitrogen and water is the focus of crop calculators such as the Sirius Wheat Calculator.
F O U N DAT I O N F O R
How can I find out more?
RESEARCH & EXTENSION PROGRAMME
If you are a grower and are not receiving FAR information, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with the FAR office. As a combinable crop levy payer you are entitled to this information free of charge. If you are a New Zealand industry representative and would like to benefit from FAR’s independent information then there are special membership terms available.
Our extension activities • Combinable Crops - FAR’s Major Annual Field Event held at the FAR Arable Site, Chertsey. • Field days and results meetings to review the season’s trials and results.
F O U N DAT I O N F O R
• Regular FAR Arable Updates and Harvest Snippets - mailed to farmers and industry subscribers. • Regular Crop Action emails. • Workshops - FAR has delivered workshops on soil management, machinery replacement and costings, spray technology, financial sustainability, precision agriculture, irrigation, approved handler for agrichemicals and grass weed identification.
ARABLE RESEARCH
www.far.org.nz Head office
Ph 03 325 6353 far@far.org.nz
Nick Poole
Ph 021 544 411 poolen@far.org.nz
Rob Craigie
Ph 021 575 303 craigier@far.org.nz
ADDING VALUE TO THE BUSINESS OF ARABLE FARMING
The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) is a farmer driven non-profit organisation responsible for managing applied research and extension for the arable industry. FAR is funded by a compulsory levy; for cereals this is 0.8%. Around 75% of the levy is invested in research projects and 25% used for extension. To make your research dollar stretch further, FAR co-funds many projects with organisations such as MAF Sustainable Farming Fund, AgMardt, FertResearch, regional councils and private companies.