Biological branding has benefits

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Fairfax NZ

COMMON SENSE: Biological farming is just common sense according to biological farming systems specialist Nicole Masters.

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Biological farming was one of the most exciting production opportunities New Zealand had seen since the tractor.

Together with organic farming, it could create a brand for New Zealand, biological farming systems specialist Nicole Masters said.

Biological farming systems used less agrichemicals, were more energy efficient, reduced greenhouse emissions and improved soil quality without reducing outputs or financial benefits.

It resulted in a more ecologially, socially and economically robust model compared to modern conventional farming, she said in an address at a Biological Farming Systems conference in Rotorua.

Current farming systems are incredibly "leaky", Masters said.

"They leak down into waterways, we leak up into the atmosphere, it's massively inefficient. Considering how smart we are I find it quite shocking."

Conventional farming looked at challenges such as water quality and drought reactively. Biological farming had a more proactive approach.

"For me, a lot of biological farming is just common sense."

It started at the soil. If the paddock had a deep rooted pasture, it promoted a water cycle and reduced inputs. It looked at diversity in pastures that benefited milk production.

It also created resilience as farmers faced uncertain times with climate change, she said.

Biological farming also looked at ways of increasing soil microbes and it looked at ways of reducing mineral inputs into that system.

"At the end of the day biological farming is about creating healthy food and if you're not creating healthy food, or nutrient dense foods, then you're not a biological farmer in my mind."

Masters said New Zealand needed to stop thinking it could feed the world. New Zealand only produced 0.5 per cent of world food production. If New Zealand's agricultural production was doubled by 2020, then it would come at the expense of the environment.

"It's all about quality. More than 30 per cent of the world's food production is wasted every year.

"It's a huge opportunity if we look at where are we wasting? Where are we inefficient?" 

Source: www.stuff.co.nz