TINY TRACTORS: Welcome to the rise of the robot farmer

Tuesday - Tiny automated machines could soon take care of the entire growing process down on the farm. Fewer chemicals, more efficient – where’s the downside?

How the world dairy herd could be brought to its knees

16 Oct 18 - The drive for genetic selection means cattle are increasingly vulnerable to deadly new epidemics that could emerge as the climate warms.

Farms can grow more and slow climate change

17 Sep 18 - New ways of digging the dirt could both deliver more food and slow climate change. And farmers in the developing world are making a difference.

Vertical farming sounds great but it eats energy

13 Sep 18 - A company in Scotland has unveiled what it claims is the world’s most technically advanced indoor farm.

Fewer cows can mean more profit, says scientist

10 Sep 18 - Cutting stock numbers on farms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect waterways would actually boost farm profits, says the lead author of research out today.

Europe climate strategy forgets about soil

17 Jul 18 - While climate change takes a toll on agriculture and land use contributes to warming the planet, soils still find little attention from policymakers in their climate strategies.

The what, where, when and why of food production

17 Jul 18 - Researchers have compiled a database on food production around the world in order to determine the best means of reducing the environmental impacts of what we eat.

Seaweed slashes cow emissions, say scientists

31 May 18 - A small amount of marine algae added to cattle food can reduce their methane emissions by as much as 99 per cent, scientists say.

Sheep and beef farmers make carbon-neutral call

16 May 18 - New Zealand’s beef and sheep sector says it will be carbon-neutral by 2050.

Get ready for longer droughts, warn scientists

10 May 18 - New Zealand’s land-based primary industries need to get ready for more serious crop diseases as climate change causes longer droughts, warns new research.

Young scientists to get NZ study money

8 May 18 - New Zealand is funding doctorate scholarships for nine young scientists to investigate ways to get greenhouse gas emissions out of food production.

Dodgy rainfall becoming big worry in grazing regions

23 Feb 18 - Nearly half of the world's pastureland is experiencing notable changes in precipitation, driving up the risk to grazing and herding communities.

Changing climate could bring bad news for broccoli

13 Feb 18 - The warming climate could spell trouble for cabbages and broccoli. Research out today shows that seed dispersal by brassicas will be affected by rising temperatures.

Sustainable agriculture needs financing

2 Feb 18 - Agriculture stands at a crossroads between its current contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and the number of mouths it needs to feed in the developing world.

Watch what you eat, scientists tell the rich

6 Dec 17 - Global greenhouse gas emissions would fall if people in rich countries like New Zealand ate healthily, Dutch scientists say.

Memo Americans: Hold the beef

5 Dec 17 - Americans need to halve the amount of beef they eat if the country’s agriculture is to become sustainable, a new paper says.

Dairying sees green as the new colour of business

22 Nov 17 - Climate change and other environmental risks now rank higher than economic issues in the minds of business and political leaders, according to a new report by New Zealand’s dairy industry.

Farming organically could cut gas emissions

17 Nov 17 - Converting land from conventional agriculture to organic production could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the run-off of excess nitrogen from fertilisers, and cut pesticide use.

Fonterra intends to get rid of coal ... later

15 Nov 17 - Fonterra says it is turning its back on coal as part of a drive towards being carbon-neutral by 2050.

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