Cut the Crop! – Details, episodes & analysis

Travelling the world as NZ’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Methven arable farmer Hamish Marr says that what we consider “normal” for agriculture here is different elsewhere. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Anna Heslop that everywhere he goes, the main talking points are climate change and emissions.

The 2024 Arable Awards’ Positive Environmental Impact winner, Waikato maize grower Daniel Finlayson, has fully integrated environmental considerations into his farming system. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Anna Heslop that profits and yields are up, and greenhouse gas emissions down, through actions like switching to strip till and trying alternative nitrogen sources.

To assist growers to make the most of new tools and technology, FAR has developed a wide-ranging research strategy. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR technology manager Chris Smith tells Anna Heslop that this includes everything from independently evaluating opportunities with digital tools to a back to basics look at maximising farm machinery.

Description: Understanding whether any of the invasive fall armyworms which were found in New Zealand earlier this year have survived the winter is the first step in deciding the next course of action in this biosecurity response. Anna Heslop talks to biosecurity researcher Scott Hardwick, from AgResearch, about what's being done, and how you can be involved.

FAR has a busy schedule of research focused on maize production. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR researcher David Densley tells Alison Stewart that as well as being focused on building resilience to financial, climate and environmental changes, some of its future-focused research is the first of its type in New Zealand.

A new FAR Focus called “Good Soil is Good Business” will be released soon. In this episode of Cut the Crop, Anna Heslop talks to the book’s author FAR’s Abie Horrocks about why the time is right for a guide like this how arable farmers can influence the soil quality on their farms.

It’s generally accepted that clay soils and wet springs make minimum tillage too challenging when establishing maize in many parts of the lower North Island. Marton farmer David Lee-Jones tells Alison Stewart how his Growers Leading Change group is trying to alter this.

Maize growers are facing the headwinds of increasing cost of production, climate changes and environmental considerations, says FAR researcher David Densley. In this episode of Cut the Crop he outlines to Anna Heslop some of the key messages from a series of winter maize workshops on how growers can sustainably achieve higher yields.

FAR board chair Steven Bierema talks to Alison Stewart about the challenges and opportunities facing the arable industry and FAR's goals for the coming year.

Celebrated senior researcher Phil Rolston reflects on his long career and says that despite retiring from FAR he enjoys the industry too much to walk away entirely. In this episode of Cut the Crop he tells Anna Heslop about how New Zealand’s natural advantages and collaborative industry approach are the envy of the world’s other seed producing regions.