Northland Age
  • Northland Age home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
  • Opinion
  • Kaitaia weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northland Age

Seaweed may be key to reduced emissions

By Peter Jackson
Northland Age·
21 Oct, 2019 07:39 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The native seaweed Asparagopsis armata might have the potential to revolutionise pastoral farming. Picture / Supplied

The native seaweed Asparagopsis armata might have the potential to revolutionise pastoral farming. Picture / Supplied

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor last week announced government support for a project billed as having the potential to substantially reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from cattle.

The announcement was made at Nelson's Cawthron Aquaculture Park, which will receive $100,000 from the government's Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures Fund to turn a native red seaweed (Asparagopsis armata) into a greenhouse gas-busting cattle feed supplement for domestic and global markets.

"If successful, this project could be a game-changer for farmers here and around the world," Mr O'Connor said.

"In previous trials Asparagopsis has been proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in livestock by up to 80 per cent. Other products typically provide reductions of between 10 and 20 per cent.

"Australian research estimates that if just 10 per cent of global ruminant producers adopted Asparagopsis as an additive to feed their livestock, it would have the same impact for our climate as removing 50 million cars from the world's roads.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Farmers know better than most about the effects of climate change, and many are innovating so they can drive down on-farm emissions. They need technology like this to help them get there though," he added.

"Sustainable agribusiness and transitioning to a low-emissions economy is a major focus for the coalition government. It's why we established the $40 million a year SFFF fund last year, to invest in projects that deliver economic, environmental and social benefits for all Kiwis."

Aquaculture, he said, was a growth industry for New Zealand, and has the potential to play a more significant role in the economy. It was currently worth $600m a year, and employed more than 3000 people.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The Cawthron project could lay the foundations for a new high-value industry, along with the jobs that go with it. There is also export potential and on-farm economic benefits, including price premiums for milk and meat," Mr O'Connor said.

"We want to be the most productive, sustainable country in the world. Projects like this will contribute to New Zealand's reputation in sustainable and innovative aquaculture and agriculture."

Discover more

A big hand up for Whiti

21 Oct 07:28 PM
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northland Age

Northland Age

Prisoners gain skills building homes for families in need

Northland Age

Far North news in brief: NRC weed workshops, 64 sika deer culled

Northland Age

Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northland Age

Prisoners gain skills building homes for families in need
Northland Age

Prisoners gain skills building homes for families in need

Men at Northland Region Corrections Facility built a home for a whānau in Te Tai Tokerau.

16 Jul 07:00 PM
Far North news in brief: NRC weed workshops, 64 sika deer culled
Northland Age

Far North news in brief: NRC weed workshops, 64 sika deer culled

16 Jul 04:00 PM
Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants
Northland Age

Invasive sea spurge found at Spirits Bay, threatening native plants

16 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northland Age e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to The Northland Age
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northland Age
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP