DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown and B+LNZ Chair Kate Acland today welcomed the announcement by Agriculture Minister Todd McClay of a $17 million, seven-year collaborative science and research programme – Resilient Pastures – which seeks to solve one of New Zealand agriculture’s most pressing and important challenges.
The problem is clear with farmers saying pastures are not lasting as long (persisting), and DairyNZ analysis suggesting pasture renewal rates are increasing as pasture harvest is declining – by 0.5 to 1 tonne of dry matter per hectare per decade across Waikato and Northland.
Pasture is vital to the New Zealand economy. It provides a sustainable, low-cost feed source, underpinning the country’s competitive advantage in global markets and without action pasture persistence and productivity will likely continue to fall.
“This is one where we need to work together to ensure we can adapt and remain productive and sustainable in a changing climate,” DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown says.
“It’s a real concern for the country as a whole as it poses a threat to our pasture-based value proposition and to dairy as our biggest export earner. The solutions we discover and help farmers to adopt during this project will ultimately benefit all regions across the country.”
B+LNZ Chair Kate Acland says pasture is the foundation of red meat farming systems.
“It’s what makes our red meat production low-emissions, grass-fed, and globally competitive. If we lose pasture performance, we lose profitability and resilience – so this research is an important one for livestock farmers too.”
The strength of the Resilient Pastures programme lies in its grassroots focus.
“This isn’t top-down science – it’s driven by farmers’ real-world experiences and shaped by what they’re seeing on the ground. We’re partnering with them to develop practical, region-specific solutions that will strengthen the productivity and resilience of our pasture systems for the long term,” Kate says.
The programme will bring together farmers and industry to identify pasture species and management practices that are more resilient to climate variation and extreme weather events – both now and in the future. The solutions aim to be practical, profitable, and environmentally sustainable.
“Pasture-based farming is what makes our food production unique when compared to much of the rest of the world and earns us our reputation as a producer of premium products. Ensuring pasture resilience in a changing climate is critical to our future,” Tracy says.
“This programme is about farmers leading the way – they’re identifying the challenges and helping shape the research that will deliver the tools we need to stay ahead. It’s a great example of the innovation and strength we unlock when our sector works together.”
The study is led by DairyNZ with support from Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the T.R. Ellett Agricultural Research Trust, Hine Rangi Trust, NDDT, Barenbrug, and Fonterra.
The research is jointly funded by the Government’s Primary Sector Growth Fund (PSGF), which focuses on achieving positive outcomes for New Zealand by removing barriers to growth and capitalising on opportunities for the primary sector.
The Resilient Pastures programme brings together farmers, industry, researchers, Māori, and government to address the impacts of climate change on pastoral farming in New Zealand.
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