A new research project has been launched to apply regenerative agriculture practices to the vegetable farming industry, aiming to improve production and environmental outcomes for the vegetable growing sector.
New Zealand fruit and vegetable supplier LeaderBrand Produce has teamed up with supermarket chain Countdown and Plant & Food Research on the project which is also supported by the Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund. The project is looking at new farming practices and techniques for the sector and will provide actionable scientific evidence that can be adopted on a commercial scale.
It comes as the vegetable growing industry looks to more eco-friendly regenerative farming methods following successes elsewhere in the agricultural sector. The teams hope their research findings will provide valuable insights into how regenerative farming can work across New Zealand's intensive vegetable production system.
The industry-wide collaboration, run from LeaderBrand's Gisborne farms, will investigate the impacts of regenerative farming in relation to productivity, profitability, people, and the environment. Regenerative practices are being tested alongside current management practices, with comparisons made between the methods.
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