DairyNZ's Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching programme

DairyNZ strategy and investment leader, Dr Bruce Thorrold. Photo / Supplied

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The Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching (FRNL) programme led by DairyNZ is winding down after some significant research achievements for farmers and their communities.

Since 2013, the FRNL programme has researched how to reduce nitrate leaching on farm, through pasture and crop options.

As part of FRNL, farmers trialled a range of options to reduce their nitrogen leaching by 20 per cent. Most of the farms achieved their targets, with some reaching even greater N loss reductions.

"I'm incredibly proud of what the team's done" DairyNZ strategy and investment leader, Dr Bruce Thorrold told The Country's Rowena Duncum.

The programme provided new scientific knowledge, tools and technologies for forage production for reduction of nitrate leaching from dairy, arable, sheep and beef and mixed-farming systems.

"At the core of the nitrate leaching problem that we have on intensive pastoral farms is that ryegrass in particular has more nitrogen in it than our animals need for the amount of energy it contains" explained Thorrold.

"The challenge to our science team was how do we redesign the way we use forages to end up with forage-systems that reduce nitrate leaching - hence the name".

The programme had also recently won a Significant Achievement Award for the Canterbury Section of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science.

"It's great recognition from our peers that this is good work" said Thorrold.

Listen below:

Also in today's interview: Thorrold encouraged farmers affected by recent flooding to seek support for any issues they are facing – uncollected milk, feed planning or clean-ups on-farm.