Te Arawa bio farming bid to save lakes

Farms owned by Te Arawa could soon be operating new biological farming systems as part of a plan to save the district's lakes and rivers.
A joint venture between Te Arawa Federation of Maori Authorities (FoMA) and the Rotorua/Taupo Province of Federated Farmers has been formed as the Rotorua Lakes and Land Trust (RLLT).
The trust has set up the Vallance Project which explores how biological farming systems could play a role in reducing nitrate leaching from farms, while keeping farming profitable.
Rotorua Lakes and Land Trust chairman Malcolm Short said much Maori owned trust land was used for farming and was situated on either lake or river catchments.
"Maori community believes in sustainable management of our land, water and forest resources.
It is based on the tradition and culture that has been handed to us by our ancestors," Mr Short said.
"Rotorua's future depends on our land and water.
"The wealth and wellbeing of the district and its people will continue to depend heavily on making the most of farming, forestry and tourism to generate jobs and income," he said.
The Vallance Project has been operational since August last year on farms in Reporoa and a similar research project was recently set up on two farms in Edgecumbe.
Biological farming practices maximise the natural processes found in healthy soil, such as microscopic bugs and worms, to slow down the process of nutrients, especially nitrogen, leaching through the soil.
It takes about three years to build up the process that leads to farmers needing to use less nitrogen and urea while fertilising pastures.
Mr Short said biological farming systems did not depend on artificial saturation of farms by chemical fertilisers and were expected to provide a more nature-friendly manner of agriculture.
Trustee Tom Walters said a second trial of the system on Maori owned land would begin soon.
"We will study pasture productivity, pasture quality and key indicators of soil physical, chemical and biological properties.
"Various biological farming fertiliser companies will be invited to be part of this research.
"The focus will be to test the biological farming system rather than the product.
"It is our desire to research methods in which we may farm in a more sustainable manner, and introduce this methodology to a collective of Maori farms across the central plateau after which we may share success stories to fellow members of the Federation of Maori Authorities and indeed throughout the country," Mr Walters said.
In October the RLLT is holding a national conference on biological farming systems in Rotorua with the theme "Towards Sustainable Farming - By Farmers, For Farmers".
Key scientists from various Crown research institutes and universities, and farmers are participating and sharing their experiences at the conference.
For more information email: biologicalfarming.systems@gmail.com.