CountryWide Spring 2025

Often overlooked and misunderstood, 90% of New Zealand’s original peatlands have been drained, degraded, or destroyed, leaving these carbon-rich landscapes in crisis. Jenna Smith, a 2024 Nuffield Scholar, presents how restoring peatlands that cover 1% of the country’s land area store an estimated 20% of carbon and could be our most strategic ecosystem.

New Zealand’s economy has long been anchored by two key pillars: agriculture and tourism. However, as the world changes, Carlos Bagrie, a 2024 Nuffield Scholar, explores how both sectors are facing natural limits to their growth. ​

Most consumers are unaware that the bread they buy from the supermarket is more likely to be made from imported, rather than domestically grown milling wheat. Words Heather Chalmers.

Drone technology has advanced to bring greater precision and cost-efficiency for farmers and growers to manage fertiliser and chemical sprays. Words Sheryl Haitana.

Silver Fern Farms, MIA and OSPRI have partnered with Prism Earth’s innovative technology to provide unprecedented insights into farmers’ natural capital that will both provide continued market access to the European Union as well as potential new revenue streams. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

From lower costs to a faster, liveable solution, second-hand houses have multiple advantages when contemplating accommodation on farm. Words Sheryl Haitana.

We asked Gina Duncan, a rural valuer who specialises in dairy farms throughout the Waikato, and ASB Rural General Manager Aidan Gent about the biggest misconception on farm infrastructure value. Words Gina Duncan (Darragh Valuations) and Aidan Gent (ASB).

A lot of farm dairies built during the boom era will be fast approaching their use-by date. As part of a two-part series on ageing dairy infrastructure on farm, we look at the opportunity to retrofit ageing dairy infrastructure instead of rebuilding. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

In this episode, Sarah Perriam-Lampp visits Leefield Station in the Waihopai Valley to talk with Brent Marris, owner of Marisco Vineyards, and Greg Crombie, the station’s farm manager.

Brent and Greg explain how the property integrates vineyards, sheep, pigs and cattle into a profitable and sustainable operation, and how careful planning, brand-building and intergenerational leadership create authentic products, from award-winning wines to high-quality wool and meat, while sharing lessons for diversifying land use and connecting with markets at home and abroad.

Mark and Sonia Dillon are fifth-generation Southland farmers and proud of it.