New innovations improving primary industry

Day two of the 50th New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays kicked off with the Innovations Awards breakfast early this morning where a selection of New Zealand’s top innovations were on display, all with creative ideas on improving New Zealand’s agricultural industry. 

New Zealand National Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation spoke of the importance of innovations at the National Agricultural Fieldays.

“One of the main reasons the New Zealand agricultural industry is so recognised and respected around the world is because of the innovations coming from awards like these.

"The people here today are shaping the future of farming and will be making major changes in in the industry in another 12months,” said Nation.

The entrants were supported by a group of knowledgeable and insightful sponsors who have provided advice around law, research, networking, engineering, technology and science. 

Judges spoke of how the winners were successful at picking good problems to solve and being very creative in the way they solve them. Innovations that were easy to use, cost-effective, efficient and enhanced value came away with top honours.

The 2018 Innovation Award winners are:

Fieldays Grassroots Prototype Award– Acuris Systems

This prototype robot, autonomously navigates kiwifruit orchards while capturing highly accurate fruit data. This data is then analysed to provide growers with quality information and insights to their orchards performance.

Fieldays Grassroots Established Award - Pamu Farming New Zealand

Landcorp has just completed its second season of deer milking in partnership with the Peter and Sharon McIntyre.  Significant, world first research and intellectual property has been developed from behind the farm gate through to a finished RMP approved product which Pāmu Foods can now use to assess market demand and price tolerance.

Fieldays Prototype Highly Commended– Maraeroa C Incorporation 

Ginseng Berry Gin is a New Zealand first made from ginseng berries grown in wild natural conditions at Pureora. The gineng berry gin has subtle flavours and textures whilst also having some health benefits.

Fieldays Launch NZ Highly Commended–  Paysauce/Season app

Growers, managers, and contract pickers can ditch paperwork with the Season app - orchard supervisors collect timesheet and contract rate info and push it straight to payroll in seconds.

Fieldays Launch NZ Award– Agricom / Ecotain environmental plantain

Ecotain is an environmentally functional plantain that uses four independent mechanisms to reduce nitrogen leaching from the urine patch, as well as being a high quality, winter active forage.

Sponsored award winners:

• Young Innovator of the Year Award goes to: St Paul’s Gudgeon Guard
• Vodafone Innovation Technology Award goes to: Halter
• Locus Research Innovation Award goes to: T C Fence Systems
• Origin Innovation IP goes to: Micropod
• Crowe Horwath Agri Innovation Award goes to: Kelvin Thermo Dog
• Tompkins Wake IP and Commercialisation Award goes to: Halter
• Callaghan Innovation Partnership & Collaboration Award goes to: Holsim

Celebrating innovations in the primary industry will continue today with the Inernational Innovation awards announced later today.

ABOUT NZ AGRICULTURAL FIELDAYS

New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays is based on a 114-hectare site at Mystery Creek 10 minutes from Hamilton and is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere. Fieldays will celebrate its 50thevent from 13-16 June 2018.

Fieldays draws people from around the globe – both as exhibitors and visitors. In 2017 133,588 people visited the event and it generated $538million in sales revenue for New Zealand businesses.

Fieldays is run by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing primary industry. 

Tickets are on sale now at www.fieldays.co.nz

While you're here, don't forget to search through the Waikato Story's Toolkit to see if there is anything you can use for your business!