Danish growers integrate non-chemical weed control

Danish arable growers have few ag-chem active ingredients available, so have no option but to adopt integrated weed management, says visiting Danish weed expert Mette Sonderskov who led a series of FAR weed workshops. In this episode of Cut the Crop, she says that weed management requires a long-te…

Lessons from NZ arable

Taylor McGill, a masters student from Oklahoma, has been working with the FAR communications team for her international experience. In this episode of Cut the Crop, she says that coming from a notoriously dry US state makes it hard to comprehend that some places need drainage tiles for excess water.

Sprayers 101: hitting the spot

Two Canadian spraying experts Tom Wolf and Jason Deveau have just completed two weeks of FAR spraying workshops across NZ. In this episode of Cut the Crop, they reflect on how spray set-ups and coffee are different in NZ.

High-tech weed sprayers are here

FAR is running a series of weed workshops looking at all the tools available for weed control so growers don’t have to just rely on herbicides. In this episode of Cut the Crop, Kyle Baxter of Ecorobotix details a high-tech option, available in NZ, which can identify and spray weeds from about 2mm i…

Growing high-value crops under solar panels

A new solar farm at Lincoln University aims to show how productive land can be optimised to grow high-value crops while generating commercial-scale solar energy. In this episode of Cut the Crop, Lincoln lecturer in arable crop production Pieter-Willem Hendriks says that microclimate changes under t…

Taking time to connect with others

Craig ‘Wiggy’ Wiggins has numerous roles in the rural sector but is best known for being the driving force behind several rural health and wellness initiatives. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he says that it is about connecting with and supporting people and not being afraid to ask someone if the…

Fall armyworm: four years on

It is more than four years since maize pest fall armyworm was first detected in NZ. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR’s biosecurity officer Ash Mills, who leads an SFFF long-term management project, says one of the biggest knowledge gaps is fall armyworm overwintering.

New FAR Strategy launched

FAR has just launched its new five-year strategy, setting a clear direction for the organisation. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR chief executive Scott Champion says the strategy reflects the organisation’s commitment to connecting growers with science and information to support successful ara…

South Australian grower goes from drought to rain

After battling severe drought, early-season rain means South Australian grower James Venning has had a perfect start planting this year’s crops. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he says that while he hasn’t suffered the mice plagues of some areas, he still needs to lay poison bait when planting can…

Visiting experts target spray accuracy

Canadian spray experts Tom Wolf and Jason Deveau are leading a series of Sprayers 101 workshops organised by FAR, in the first two weeks of August. In this episode of Cut the Crop, they say they will be discussing everything from water volume and droplet size to spray pressure, while raising a note…