Dutch dairy farmers will from next spring have access to the first of possibly two new tools that could potentially reduce methane emissions from cows by around 30%.

Next breeding season they can access semen from low methane emitting bulls, the result of an eight-year programme run by Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands.

For the past four years researchers have collaborated with Dutch dairy company FrieslandCampina and genetics company CRV to establish breeding values for methane.

This measure alone is estimated to reduce average emissions by 1%  each year, accumulating to more than 25% by 2050.

University scientists are also working on a project to utilise rumen fluid from cows that are naturally low enteric methane producers.

This rumen fluid is fed as a probiotic to newborn calves in a five-dose course.

It has been found to permanently adjust the recipient’s microbiome, providing a further 10% reduction in methane emissions.

Scientists are by nature conservative, but the team at Wageningen are encouraged their work could make a tangible reduction in livestock methane emissions.

“I am quite optimistic,” said senior researcher Léon Šebek.

“It is quite difficult, if not impossible, to reach methane reduction goals that have been pledged without any interventions other than feeding strategies.

“It shows the need for extra interventions.

“What we have shown here is that additional interventions through breeding values and steering microbiome will become available.

“If so, most Dutch dairy farms will have a suitable intervention meaning that we can achieve an average reduction of around 30% in methane by 2050.

“If we only used feed strategies and relied on the efficiency of the herd, we will only get a 15-20% reduction.”

Significantly, these one-off interventions provide permanent gains.

The project team, led by Professor Roel Veerkamp, focused on breeding values in Holsteins, which make up 92% of the 1.6 million-cow Dutch dairy population. 

They measured emissions from 9000 cows on 100 Dutch farms and linked their methane emissions to their DNA, which confirmed heritability of the trait of around 25%.

Correlations with other desired breeding values were found to be maintained.

From this reference population they were able to estimate the first genomic breeding values for methane emissions, which will be rolled out next year.

The project will be extended and international collaboration will enable the reference population to be enlarged to increase the reliability of the breeding values.

This is at least a year ahead of New Zealand, where LIC expects to have a methane-emitting breeding value in the market by 2026.

In parallel to the genetics research, work has been underway since 2017 looking at the whether the natural development of a cow’s rumen microbiome can be manipulated to reduce enteric methane production.

Šebek said initial work established that while feed and feed efficiency are influential factors in emissions, there was still a 20-24% variation between cows when feed was accounted for.

This indicated other factors were in play.

For two years they worked with dairy farmers studying gut microbiome fluid samples, which related back to feeding and management.

From that analysis they established the role of the microbiome.

Šebek said they also established there was no link between the microbiome of a cow and her calf – in other words the environmental factors were dominant over possible genetic transfer.

They introduced to calves microbiome from low enteric methane producing cows and found five doses sufficient to permanently alter the production of methane in the gut of recipient calves.

To prove their encouraging hypothesis, they analysed 60 calves – 20 given microbiome from low methane producing cows, 20 from high producing cows and 20 as a control.

The average methane emissions of the selected microbiome donor groups was 17.2 and 24 grams methane/kg/DM for low and high methane producing cows respectively.

Satisfied the process will provide tangible benefits, Šebek said work is now focused on how to source the targeted microbiome and how and in what format to deliver it.

There is also the issue of securing public support or a social licence given the nature of the product.

Adopting the technology also has to be cost effective and provide sufficient benefits or incentives for farmers.

Programme manager Elian Verscheijden said recent meetings with some of the Netherlands’ most progressive dairy farmers who have used mainly feed and management measurements, showed they were able to achieve methane reductions of 10-15% but could not improve beyond that.

She said this research sends a message to the Netherlands government and the public that the sector is taking the issue seriously and it is making progress. 

Both research initiatives are part of an integrated approach programme launched in 2018 to address methane emissions from livestock farming.

The program is funded by the Netherlands’ Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature with a budget of least NZ$16 million a year.

Besides research to enteric methane, the programme also includes finding solutions to reduce methane emissions from manure, a significant issue for Dutch farmers.

The first goal of the programme is to comply with the government’s 2030 goal to reduce methane by 30% compared to 2020.

Ultimately the government has a goal of close to carbon neutrality by 2050.

More: Wallace is visiting seven countries in six weeks to report on market sentiment, a trip made possible with grants from Fonterra, Silver Fern Farms, Alliance, Beef + Lamb NZ, NZ Meat Industry Association and Rabobank.  Read more about his findings here. 

In Focus Podcast | Selling lamb to a new generation of Brits

Reporter Neal Wallace checks in from London, where he’s spent time with the Alliance Group’s UK team. They’ve hired a chef to come up with new recipes for those consumers who don’t want the traditional lamb roast and learns that a football stadium is a key part of the strategy.

Introducing automated 3D-scanning robots to vineyards could be the secret to unlocking the “Holy Grail” of the wine industry. 

A project using Lincoln University viticulturalists and led by the University of Canterbury (UC) aims to develop the robots and use them to get far more accurate yield estimations, which would tell growers exactly how much fruit their vines will bear.

The five-year $6.1 million project is supported by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavour Fund.

Lincoln University Department of Wine Food & Molecular Biosciences Associate Professor Dr Amber Parker said being able to accurately predict yields could be a huge shift for the industry.

Having accurate yield estimation meant growers and winemakers could better prepare for harvest in every step of production. It affects everything, including how much fruit would be harvested, the labour and equipment needed, and what the winery would receive.

“Every step along that chain there’s a financial cost benefit.

“How many tractors do you need? How many drivers? How many people in the winery? How many tanks? Do you need to make changes?”

At present, being within 5-10% in a yield estimation is considered very good, but still leaves a huge amount of room for variation.

Part of the problem with determining yield estimates is that growers are working on averages from other years, but the climate fluctuates annually.

Using the autonomous robot, the actual number of fruit on every vine can be measured without supervision, putting growers in a much better position to deal with those fluctuations, Parker said.

The robot estimates yield by creating a 3D scan with the exact number of flower structures on the vines, called inflorescences.

The current method of estimating yield is to count these in person, whether it be in the vineyard or by removing samples from the vine.

It is more accurate to remove them, but that means a loss in potential fruit.

These are expensive, time-consuming processes and can only be used to work out a rough average, as it is impossible to do every vine, she said.

The robots are being designed by a team at UC, led by Professor Richard Green.

The one metre by one metre device zips down the rows at “a fast walking pace” capturing thousands of images, Green said.

It is loaded with cameras with wide-angle lenses, each taking about 10 pictures per second. The current arrangement features 12 cameras, collecting images on both sides as it moves through the vineyard.

Those images are then fed into an artificial intelligence program that pieces them together into a highly accurate 3D model of the plant, including everything behind the leaves.

Developing the AI to reconstruct the images was the most difficult part of the process, but now that it works the result could be revolutionary for the industry, he said.

“We have access to way more information than ever before.”

The technology is groundbreaking, but it is up to Lincoln’s viticulturalists to make sure it can meet the industry’s needs.

Every few weeks the robot goes through Lincoln’s vineyard scanning the vines. Lincoln’s viticulturalists then collect data manually to compare.

That data was used to determine the practical value the technology had, Parker said.

They were also looking at the bigger picture, as the 3D images collected provided a lot of data that was previously lacking in the field.

“How we go from flowers to fruits is not really well modelled. Part of the work is can we look at that better and understand that in a predictable power better.”

There is potential for it to be used for other purposes, such as determining vine balance, which estimates how the vegetation is growing in comparison to the fruit.

That information is useful for understanding how the vineyard set-up is working and for finding vines that are struggling.

The current method of measuring balance is by weighing the pruned material from the vines, but the robot has the potential to provide far more accurate measurements as part of its automated yield scans.

“We have these balance metrics, but they don’t necessarily work well. They’re also quite time-consuming to measure.”

A second robot will soon be deployed in Marlborough in commercial vineyards and this year will be the first full season of testing.

The New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre and AgriZeroNZ are backing biotech venture Lucidome Bio with funding as it spearheads the next phase in research to create a methane vaccine.

AgriZeroNZ is providing $8.5 million and the NZAGRC $5m to Lucidome Bio. The company’s interim chief executive, David Aitken, said the funding will allow them to build the team, carry out field trials in animals and progress development of the vaccine for farmers.

Lucidome Bio builds on research led by AgResearch’s team of globally renowned immunologists and microbiologists.

It was established by AgriZeroNZ to bring together New Zealand’s vaccine technology, intellectual property, team and funding into a compelling, investible entity and help deliver a world-first solution to market.

Prior to this, the research had received support and funding from multiple organisations including the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium and the New Zealand government (Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment; Ministry for Primary Industries) through the NZAGRC.

AgriZeroNZ chief executive Wayne McNee said a vaccine that reduces methane from ruminant animals would be a transformational tool for the agricultural sector “as it’s a low cost, high-impact solution which has the potential to be adopted into all farming systems”.

“We’re really pleased to be backing Lucidome Bio, alongside the NZAGRC, in a shared effort to get a vaccine to farmers sooner,” said McNee.

A successful vaccine would trigger an animal’s immune system to generate antibodies in saliva that suppress the growth and function of methane-producing microbes (methanogens) in the rumen, significantly reducing the quantity of the potent greenhouse gas it burps out.

NZAGRC executive director Naomi Parker said the reliance on antibody production in saliva and the complex nature of the rumen make the work incredibly challenging, however the progress to date gives confidence it can achieve success.

“We’re proud to be long-standing supporters of this work and help Lucidome Bio achieve a world-first by turning the vaccine’s research legacy into a safe and effective tool for farmers.

“This is no easy task, but the research team has made significant progress over the years and achieved many groundbreaking advancements which provide critical foundations to support future success.”

AgResearch will continue to be a partner, providing scientists to Lucidome Bio as well as access to research facilities. The Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium also remains a shareholder alongside AgriZeroNZ.

The funding follows the announcement in August from the Bezos Earth Fund to provide US$9.4m ($15m) for an international consortium to build scientific evidence for a methane vaccine. 

Led by researchers at the Pirbright Institute and the Royal Veterinary College, the AgResearch scientists (now seconded to Lucidome Bio) will provide expertise in rumen microbiology and immunology.

In Focus Podcast | Sheep outlook: the future of our flock

Sheep farmers are doing it tough right now, with farmgate returns dropping back after a few good years and input costs rising. Add to that the march of pine trees across the land, and there’s talk of an existential crisis. Bryan asked AgriHQ senior analyst Mel Croad to give him the lay of the land and asked her what the sector needed to do to find prosperity again.

A new, rapid and cost-effective test for bovine tuberculosis being developed by Otago University could cut diagnosis times from 72 hours to about an hour.

The three-year project has just received $1 million in funding in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s latest Endeavour Fund investment round.

Tb is caused by Mycobacterium bovis and is a highly infectious livestock disease that costs Aotearoa’s primary sector $160 million a year. 

Otago University Rutherford Discovery Fellow at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Dr Htin Lin Aung, said the current testing regime for Tb requires a 72-hour turnaround, specialist equipment, skilled staff and laboratory infrastructure, which prevents diagnosis of the disease on farm and leaves infected animals in their herds while the results are pending.

He hopes the new test will reduce that time to one hour.

“This is a very lengthy process if you are the one doing the test or if you are the farmer waiting for the result,” Aung said.

It would also eliminate the need for skin tests, which can produce false-positive and false-negative tests, and the blood test, which confirms if the animal has Tb or not.

“I think it could be a game-changer because our test will be very quick, and it doesn’t have to be a vet or a skilled technician – farmers can do it as well.”

The test will also be non-invasive with no blood samples taken or injections, which the current testing system relies on.

Aung said they hope the test they develop will be similar to how people tested themselves for covid-19, which used a nasal swab, but based on a different technology.

Business development manager and patent attorney Tomas Ribeiro said that as well as providing farmers with a much faster diagnosis, it will be better for animal welfare.

“If you have a positive test in a large herd and you have to wait three to four days to get that result back, you have to cull the entire herd.”

A quick diagnostic test would allow the farmer to quickly separate those that test positive and those that are negative, and prevent the mass culling of herds, he said.

“There’s a massive economic benefit and there’s a massive animal welfare benefit.”

Aung said they will be working closely with stakeholders over the next three years as the test is developed and moves into the trialling stage.

It could also be used overseas to fight Tb and could serve as a platform technology for the detection of other pathogens in animals as well as humans.

“It has a lot of potential and we’re very excited by it.”

While it is a three-year project, the science behind it is well developed and the team is optimistic a prototype could be ready in 18 months.

A damning report on the failure of OSPRI’s IT upgrade did not come as a surprise to stakeholders.

Farmer’s Weekly reported last week that OSPRI has apologised to farmers and shareholders after major flaws were found in a technology upgrade project.

An independent review of its Information Systems Strategic Programme (ISSP) identified issues with the technology project, which was meant to integrate its animal disease management and traceability systems.

Southland dairy farmer and chair of OSPRI’s farmer committee Nigel Johnston said the issues had been evident for years.

Johnston said that in its annual reports for the past three years, the farmer committee had highlighted concerns about IT issues, the slow progress to fix them and a lack of accountability. Working groups had asked for an independent look into the matter, with the independent review highlighting failures the end result, he said.

NAIT uses old technology, is cumbersome and because of the age of the technology there isn’t a user-friendly phone app, he said.

The decision to upgrade the software platform was made five years ago, but the ensuing project had “significant cost overruns, mainly because we wanted to do it once and do it right”.

Despite setbacks, a well-made “skeleton” now exists. It provides OSPRI with a workable solution without requiring too much further farmer input, Johnston said.

Compliance is still possible and relatively easy for dairy farmers, especially those who use third-party software such as LIC’s Minda, he said.

Farmers running beef as part of their operations and who work directly with NAIT will  experience some user-friendliness, he said. 

OSPRI tried to make a future-proofed solution but ran out of money, he said.

Recent changes at OSPRI “refreshed the focus” on the project, he said.

Ospri chief executive Sam McIvor said OSPRI is currently undertaking the work to redefine the future NAIT replacement solution. The goal is to develop a system that is more user-friendly, more efficient, cost effective, and ultimately saves time for farmers, he said. 

“The focus will be on ensuring the system effectively supports farmers needs while improving traceability and disease management capabilities.”

It is important to note that the issues highlighted by the review relate to future technology at OSPRI only, McIvor said. 

“OSPRI is currently in a replanning phase, which will take up to six months. During this time, we are developing a realistic and achievable roadmap to complete the NAIT replacement. Once this phase is finished and the programme plan is approved, we will be in a position to confirm the timeframes for delivery of the new system,” McIvor said.

“We will only announce a new delivery date when we are confident it is both financially sustainable and achievable within the timeframe.”

The current NAIT system is functional, and the data farmers provide continues to improve and support the disease management programmes at OSPRI, he said.

Chair of DairyNZ Jim van der Poel said DairyNZ was disappointed with OSPRI’s performance in relation to this project and the findings of the review of the ISSP.

“We are working with shareholders Beef + Lamb NZ and Deer Industry NZ, as well as [the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)], the OSPRI board and recently appointed CEO to take urgent steps to get this project back on track.

“It is important to note the ISSP IT issues relate to a technology upgrade and do not affect the functioning of NAIT, the TB Free Programme or M bovis eradication. 

“Earlier this year shareholders, supported by MPI, requested an independent review of OSPRI’s IT system rebuild. We made a strong contribution to the terms of reference for that review to extract clear information about the ISSP, due to concerns about delays, lack of reporting and questions about the accuracy of the information shareholders were receiving regarding this project.” 

OSPRI’s efforts to get the project back on track will occur alongside shareholders progressing recommendations for constitutional changes to strengthen OSPRI’s governance, transparency and technology capability, he said.

In Focus Podcast: Full Show | 13 September

New government funding of $3 million will enable AgResearch scientists to explore new ways to tackle industry challenges such as plant disease and reducing environmental impacts.

The three Smart Idea grants are from the government’s 2024 Endeavour Fund, announced by Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins. The Endeavour Fund is aimed at supporting excellent research that pushes boundaries and deliver results to positively transform New Zealand’s economy, environment and society.

The three AgResearch projects to receive funding feature research using technology known as RNAi to control fungal diseases threatening plants and animals, nanofertilisers to reduce pollution from nitrogen loss, and development of new generation biomaterials from protein.

AgResearch chief scientist Axel Heiser said it is always exciting to see the bright ideas of scientists getting the support to test them out.

 “I think we all recognise now that given the challenges our primary industries are facing, a business-as-usual approach isn’t going to be enough. Investing into research that explores new approaches to long-running problems is critical, and the payoff over time can be significant.”

The successful AgResearch projects are:

 • Superior protein biocomposites through tailored gradients of nature-inspired microstructure ($1m)

 Protein is commonly know as something we eat, but in nature it is used for a diversity of hard, soft and elastic structures. For example, cat claws, spider silk, our nails and our hair are all protein. What makes silk elastic or claws sharp lies in how proteins are ordered at both molecular and microscopic scales, and like nesting dolls, these materials contain hierarchical layers of order.

 In this Smart Idea project, the aim is to design a new generation of custom-made biomaterials inspired by the way that nature optimally organises proteins at a microscopic level as a material forms. Natural control of microscopic structure of protein materials allow AgResearch to make tailored biomaterials that are flexible, stiff or have gradients of effect, like in-built hinges. Products made this new way will be environmentally friendly and sustainable compared to the material they will replace (largely plastics). Not only are protein materials safely compostable (no microplastics) but they are also recyclable. 

Compared to other green alternatives, such as paper, products made from these next-generation materials will inherit the unique combinations of natural benefits brought by proteins, such as fire retardancy, breathability and odour absorption. 

 • Silencing fungal diseases: unlocking RNAi as novel tool to control Agricultural Pathogens ($999,999.96)

Globally, fungi pose a significant threat to animal and plant species, causing 65% of pathogen-driven host losses. The estimated annual global economic burden of fungal crop diseases is roughly US$200 billion (about $324bn), whereas in farm animals it is poorly reported globally. 

For instance, Pithomyces chartarum, the causal organism of facial eczema (FE), costs  $332m a year in New Zealand. Traditional agriculture heavily relies on chemical agents to combat fungal pathogens, but this approach harms the environment. 

AgResearch proposes employing RNAi technology to create environmentally friendly double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules targeting virulence genes in Pithomyces chartarum. 

This research will yield new knowledge, IP, and technologies that enhance animal production systems, promote chemical-free practices and improve animal welfare, while bolstering global confidence in NZ’s animal products. 

It will support the globally recognised team in developing RNAi therapeutics and technology platforms for emerging agricultural applications. The enhanced detection capabilities will substantially reduce costs and enhance existing Pithomyces chartarum forecasting systems, thereby safeguarding NZ’s pasture and farm animals.

• Foliar nitrogen nanofertilizers (Nnf), increasing nitrogen use efficiency and reducing environmental pollution ($999,999)

The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of dairy grazing NZ systems using a novel approach targeted to increase the efficiency of nitrogen delivery to plants. 

The team will combine nanotechnology, engineering, environmental and agronomic evaluations to assess the effectiveness and direct impact of the proposal. 

New Zealand company Ruminant BioTech, formed in 2021, is on track to launch its methane-reducing slow-release bolus in Australia next October. 

It successfully raised equity capital of $12.2 million last year in addition to government funding of $7.8m under the Climate Emergency Response Fund for investment in research and development. More recently, it has received $4m from AgriZeroNZ and an AU$3.5m ($3.8m) grant from the Australian government’s Methane Reduction in Livestock fund.

This last grant is particularly appropriate because the faster regulatory approval process in Australia permits the earlier introduction of the product there than in this country. Tom Breen, CEO of Ruminant BioTech, says there are many different regulatory frameworks around the world that require complying with, so the slower process in New Zealand must be respected. Under the present approval scenario here, he expects to release the bolus here in another three years, but says the earlier release in Australia will provide the opportunity to scale up and iron out any teething problems.

The company’s success in obtaining the capital needed to get started is based on the positive results from the thousands of small-scale trials performed before commercial production begins. Breen is quietly confident that the 12 months of further testing before the October 2025 launch in Australia will address any outstanding issues. 

To date Ruminant BioTech has produced thousands of boluses to prove the technology’s reliability, consistency and duration. It achieves at least 75% reduction in methane emissions on pasture over 100 days.

Now it is time to complete the commercial plant and work towards the product launch, which will address an initially narrow target of weaner beef cattle before moving on to older cattle, including dairy cows. 

This will be particularly important in New Zealand, given the fact there are nearly 5 million dairy cows compared with about 3.5 million beef cattle. Breen is unable to give any idea of the cost of the bolus, but believes it will be a low-cost, high-performance solution.

DairyNZ principal scientist Jane Kay welcomes the progress being made in developing methane mitigation technology and looks forward to seeing published data from Ruminant BioTech with details of the product’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions and herd performance over time. For technologies to work well in the NZ dairy system, they need to be effective in growing and lactating cows throughout the season, while maintaining or improving feed intake, animal health, and performance (for example, production and reproduction) in NZ farming conditions. 

She makes the point that “experience with research in this area indicates that cow physiology (growing heifers vs dry vs lactating cows), pasture seasonality and supplementary feed intake, product dose, and duration of the response all have an impact on the GHG mitigation potential”.

“These factors need to be considered and evaluated in conjunction with cost and adoptability of the product to determine their potential to mitigate emissions within the NZ dairy sector.”

Beef + Lamb NZ’s GM for excellence Dan Brier is really pleased to see Ruminant BioTech’s progress with an ingenious solution to a previously intractable problem – mitigating methane emissions in a pasture-based farming system. He is keen to see the product available to New Zealand farmers as soon as possible, but recognises the need to ensure a robust approval process is followed without compromising food safety. He is also eagerly anticipating when the product is available for use in sheep, although the company’s immediate focus is to ensure the bolus does a thorough job in cattle.

The active ingredient in the product is a synthetically produced, naturally occurring compound called tribromomethane, closely related to bromoform – which is the active ingredient in asparagopsis seaweed.

Research has found bromoform, although potentially carcinogenic, if administered in low doses is not bioavailable in meat, therefore there is minimal risk of residue transfer in livestock or humans. This would possibly be more of a factor in dairy cows and milk than beef cattle.

Ruminant BioTech is not the only company intending to introduce this technology using TBM. Perth-based Rumin8 already has provisional approval from New Zealand’s Animal Compounds and Veterinary Medicines to conduct commercial trials here. The main difference between the two companies’ technologies appears to be in the delivery method: in the case of Ruminant BioTech delivery is via a slow-release bolus that sits in the cow’s stomach (ideal for pasture-raised animals), while Rumin8’s solution is administered through solid feed and water formulations. 

Also, Sydney startup Number 8 Bio has just raised AU$7m to progress product development and build a new facility to produce a range of methane reducing feed additives based on the same ingredients. This company is not as far advanced as the others in its development, although trials are being conducted in collaboration with the Queensland Animal Science Precinct and the University of New England. It is confident of being able to cut methane emissions by 90% and improve rumen productivity.

Until very recently, methane emissions reduction in a pastoral farming environment was thought to be unachievable, Bovaer being the only obvious option and more suited to feedlots and indoor feeding. But there now appear to be several options potentially available for cattle in the relatively near future and at an affordable cost, all using a similar technology. 

If even one of them turns out to be applicable to sheep, the holy grail of solving farming’s methane emissions problem may no longer be just a pipedream but a reality.

In Focus Podcast | Methane busting in the Netherlands

Reporter Neal Wallace checks in from Amsterdam and tells Bryan about his visits to Wageningen University and to a Dutch dairy farm. He says the methane research going on there is promising and NZ farmers should be aware that emissions efficiencies are improving in the EU and other key food producing countries.

OSPRI has apologised to farmers and its shareholders after major flaws were found in a technology upgrade project.

An independent review of its Information Systems Strategic Programme (ISSP) identified issues with the technology project that was meant to integrate its animal disease management and traceability systems.

The review identified problems in every aspect of the programme, including the way it was governed and the suitability of the technology itself.

Chair Dr Paul Reynolds said OSPRI had let itself and its stakeholders down.

“The OSPRI board and management apologise to farmers and partner organisations that the improvements promised have not been delivered in a timely manner.”

Reynolds stressed that this issue did not impact OSPRI’s current disease management and animal tracing systems.

“There is no risk to the assurances needed for export purposes and our shareholders can be assured that with their continued participation, our warning systems are as good as any in the world.”

Early progress on developing the new platform went well, but Reynolds said delays and cost concerns raised the alarm.

“The board was asking questions and receiving assurances and it put in independent reviewers to check on progress and to ask the question, ‘Is it reasonable for us to assume that this platform is going to be delivered on time or within the new timeframe, and is going to be successful?’

“And we received those assurances. However, delays continued and our former chief executive was increasingly uncomfortable and in the end the board decided that we would pause the program.”

Reynolds said the independent review made it clear that the project would not deliver what was required.

“Most importantly, and catastrophically, [the review found] issues with the complexity of the technology, platforms and architecture. It became increasingly apparent that what ultimately was going to be built was just going to be ruinously expensive to run. 

“So we had issues about the complexity of the platform, issues in the program, about its timely delivery. But even if all that was swept away, we came to the understanding that the costs of running it would be ridiculously high.”

In a joint statement, shareholders Beef + Lamb NZ, Deer Industry NZ and DairyNZ said they were incredibly disappointed with OSPRI’s performance.

“We are working with the OSPRI board and recently appointed chief executive to take urgent steps to get this project back on track. Shareholders have added representatives to the OSPRI board’s ISSP sub-committee to ensure additional expertise is available to recommend the way forward.”

The OSPRI shareholders, in consultation with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), have also initiated an independent review of the OSPRI governance framework.

“The review has made a number of recommendations for strengthening OSPRI’s governance and shareholder oversight. The shareholders are discussing the governance recommendations with OSPRI and OSPRI’s other funder, MPI, and have committed to all involved that changes will be made promptly over the next few months.”

Reynolds said he acknowledged the criticism.

“I think that in hindsight, the business case could have been clearer, more robust, more fulsome. I think the level of clarity around what was needed was probably not there.”

OSPRI is now working to fix key programme management foundations, is simplifying the new platform’s architecture and prioritising the replacement of the NAIT system, Reynolds said. 

“OSPRI is confident that the measures implemented in response to the review will enable us to deliver a NAIT replacement system that meets the needs of New Zealand’s primary sector.”

There will be a significant impairment to the value of the current MyOSPRI asset, but the figure is yet to be confirmed.

Chief executive Sam McIvor said as well as the independent review, he is taking a “deep dive” into the technology in the business.

“We’ve pulled in some expertise to do that and I guess that will give us the clear path on whether we fix what’s been built, or is it an alternative route, for example, of starting again. We’re deep into that process at the moment.”

McIvor stressed that the development of the new NAIT system user interface, created in collaboration with farmers, has progressed well and will be used.

In Focus Podcast | A new strategy for advocacy

AGMARDT and KPMG have released a report that offers a new way of organising our advocacy networks. Common Ground assesses the positives and negatives of the advocacy groups we have now and sets out a strategy that could improve the collaboration and messaging emanating from the farming world. AGMARDT general manager Lee-Ann Marsh joins Bryan to discuss the report.

Campaign for Wool NZ’s chair Ryan Cosgrove has used machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, to identify what strong wool attributes are key to maximising returns.

Cosgrove, who is also the head of sourcing and materials for Mons Royale, and co-founder of Fusca, a wool sales data platform, recently published a paper outlining his methods and findings.

The paper, A Statistical Analysis of New Zealand Strong Wool Sold at Auction Between 2022 and 2024, showed that colour, micron and length are critical factors affecting wool prices. 

Colour was, however, shown to be the most deterministic feature of price by far, accounting for 48% of price variability, regardless of other external economic factors. 

For the paper, data from January 1^st 2022 to June 30^th 2024 was analysed. 

The periods are significant and affect what attribute of strong wool is the most important, he said.

When Cosgrove moved the lens to 2013-2015, micron was the biggest driver of value.

“I chose the most recent years because it’s what we’re exposed to now. If you say 48% of the variance in price comes from colour, that’s something a grower can use right now.” 

Cosgrove said as a wool trader he was always frustrated at the lack of sophistication used to analyse data.

“Every week we used pen and paper to value and put a price on wool. We’d invoice by hand. None of the data was analysed. I thought, if only I could find a method to do that, so I turned to machine learning to have a look.”

He used two machine learning methods,  Random Forest  Regression (RFR) and Gradient Boosting Analysis (GBA) to build accurate models predicting wool prices, across short periods of consistent economic conditions. 

He wrote the code for the models himself.

Machine learning can be used to constantly update growers on what aspects are more important to focus on at farm level, he said.

Efforts should be concentrated on achieving consistent colour and optimal micron through genetic selection, improved grazing management, and careful handling practices, he said.

Continued focus on reducing vegetable matter contamination will further enhance wool quality and value, the methods showed. 

“The findings allow farmers to make more informed choices about farm management practices and to focus production and handling where it matters most.”

The GBA model was able to create a model where 91% of the variability of the wool price could be explained.

“Analysis aims to uncover how controllable variables, such as wool colour, length, vegetable matter, and micron, as well as uncontrollable variables like month and the NZD:USD exchange rate impact the market price of wool and to use these insights to optimise practices both on the farm and during wool preparation.”

While most brands looked at wool through the lens of increasing wool value or offering a new product and changing demand to try to improve the value for farmers, the machine learning methods are ignorant of economic factors and market demand.

But they use data to “tell growers, here are things you can do to make sure you’re at the top end of the bell curve, that you’re always maximising the value regardless of the market. Instead of just hoping the market is good next year. 

“The research provides a powerful new tool to analyse wool markets. By understanding and leveraging these predictive models, markets may be stabilised, quality improved and profitability boosted across the industry.”

In future Cosgrove aims to include other variables, such as environmental conditions and market trends, to improve the predictive capability of the models. 

Lodestone Energy has started construction on its fourth North Island utility-scale solar farm near Whitianga.

Once operational, Lodestone’s Whitianga solar farm will generate about 50 GWh of clean renewable energy each year – enough electricity to power more than 6800 households. The site will have more than 53,000 solar panels supported by 7150 piles. Construction is expected to be completed by November 2025.

The Whitianga project includes a partnership with the local electricity network operator, Powerco, which is building a new substation on the same site.  

Lodestone Energy managing director Gary Holden said the latest North Island solar farm continues the company’s strategy to develop a diverse spread of regional solar resources to serve the needs of customers across New Zealand.

“The challenges seen in the energy market in recent months are a testament to the need for new, clean, affordable energy supply and we are continuing to bring this to market at pace.”

On the site, which was previously a dairy farm, Lodestone is again using an agrivoltaic design to maximise electricity generation while preserving the farm’s productive land. Setting the panels widely apart and high above the ground allows machinery to operate and sheep grazing or horticultural activities to continue around them.

Whitianga is Lodestone Energy’s fourth farm in its Phase 1 programme and follows solar farms near Kaitaia, Edgecumbe and Waiotahe. 

Further sites in Dargaville, Manawatu and Canterbury are set to commence construction starting in 2025. Lodestone Energy has plans for a total of 18 utility-scale solar projects across New Zealand, with the addition of its Phase 2 and Phase 3 development plans.