They now own three properties, with couples managing each farm.
”Farming has changed a lot over the years,” Mark said.
“Decades ago, there weren’t a lot of environmental regulations and farming focused more on production and dairy product quality. Now environmental sustainability is equally important.”
Meeting nitrogen targets
The Slees strive to achieve goals ahead of targets set by central and local government.
In their local area (the Hinds catchment), Environment Canterbury rules require farmers to reduce nitrogen loss from their farms by 15 per cent by 2025 (compared with 2009-13).
They must also reduce nitrogen loss by 25 per cent by 2030 and 36 per cent by 2035.
Mark said the family farms were on track to achieve this.
They’d reduced nitrogen fertiliser use by more than 30 per cent over the past six years, down to 178kg of nitrogen per hectare per year.
They did this ahead of the Government’s 190kg cap that took effect last year.
Slee saw challenges, such as reducing fertiliser, as opportunities.
“As well as environmental benefits, farmers save money by using nitrogen more efficiently,” he said.
“By keeping our costs manageable, we can keep making improvements.”
Slee said the couple focused on efficient water management, as irrigation was one of the biggest factors Canterbury farmers could control.
The couple use only the amount of water needed for grass growth, which is determined by real-time data coming from their soil moisture monitoring system.
The Slees also take steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including reducing cow numbers. Less feed is trucked onto the farm which reduces transport emissions.
Instead, they focus on growing more grass and clover on their farm.
”Reducing emissions and nitrogen fertiliser is a win-win, we’re reducing environmental footprint while reducing our costs which contributes to business viability,” Slee said.
Meeting a Sustainable Future project
In a Canterbury initiative, Mark Slee works closely with dairy farmers in the Hinds and Selwyn catchments in the Meeting a Sustainable Future project.
Through the project, DairyNZ and its partners support farmers in taking actions to reduce nitrogen loss, including improving irrigation efficiency and reducing cow numbers.
A key focus is helping farmers meet government regulations while ensuring farm viability.
Farmers also plant alongside waterways, which helps cut the amount of nitrogen entering waterways and groundwater.
Planting alongside waterways also provides shade for fish and other aquatic life, and helps improve biodiversity in and out of the water.
This is important for improving ecosystem health and mahinga kai values of waterways.
The grazing herb Ecotain plantain, which research shows can reduce nitrogen loss from dairy farms, is also used by some farmers in the project.
The project’s 40 partner farmers trial options to reduce nitrogen loss.
Knowledge is shared with other farmers through field days and events, with more than 500 farmers attending so far.
“It’s great to talk to other farmers about what’s working for them to meet nitrogen reduction targets and other steps to reduce environmental footprint,” Slee said.
The project is one of a range of catchment projects DairyNZ and partners are working on with farmers, communities and iwi to improve water quality.
Catchment work is widely recognised as a way to improve environmental outcomes in productive catchments such as Canterbury.
It allows farmers, DairyNZ and partners to explore, develop and share tailored solutions and tools, which is better than a national one-size-fits-all regulations approach.
