Educational resources for schools & students
Read, listen to and watch what is happening in New Zealand agriculture by scanning the QR codes or following the links. Answer the questions to complete the exercises.
In the news
Is there value in daggy wool?
Wool innovation company Terra Lana is giving sheep dags a new lease on life as a weed mat.
http://lnkiy.in/daggy-wool
Have a go:
1. What usually happens to wool dags?
2. What does ‘biodegradable’ mean and why is it a good thing?
3. What are the benefits of the weed mats containing manure or dags?
Stretch yourself:
4. Wool dags can be locally sourced, compared to a product such as coconut matting, which is imported. Why is this a good thing for the environment?
5. How do wool dags compare to recycled wool from the carpet manufacturing industry?
6. What could some other uses for farm ‘waste’ products be?
Analyse this
In the news
Why is National Fieldays important?
The largest agricultural event in the southern hemisphere is back in its usual spot on the calendar.
http://lnkiy.in/building-better
Have a go:
1. What is National Fieldays and why is it an important event on the calendar for many people in agriculture?
2. What can you learn about at the Opportunity Grows Here Hub? Can you name another Hub?
3. How do you think the economy affects events like the Fieldays?
Have a listen
How do we best use farm data?
Lucie Douma talks about her Nuffield Scholarship and the need for improvements in the way we collect, manage and use information on farm.
http://lnkiy.in/farm-data
Have a go:
1. Data is collected by lots of different organisations. Why is this difficult for farmers?
2. Why do some companies want to keep their data private?
3. What are the on-farm benefits of data being more freely available?
Stretch yourself:
4. What can we learn from the Australian mining sector and the way it handles data?
5. What were the benefits of having a data manager for the feedlots Lucie visited in Australia?
6. What data do you think farmers could collect and use on farm?
How much of a lift did beef export volumes get in March following a rise in demand from major markets?
This graph shows total NZ beef exports to all destinations
Have a go:
1. How does the volume of beef exported in April 2023 compare to the same month a year ago?
2. How does the April export volume compare to the previous month?
3. How do these movements compare to the five-year average?
4. A large portion of New Zealand’s exported beef heads to the United States and China. Why do you think this is?
5. Supply of beef from Australia has been increasing after a herd rebuild in recent years. How might this affect demand for NZ beef?
Source: AgriHQ
Did you know?
Why have they chosen to breed Hereford cattle?
This On Farm Story visits Lance and Janelle Downs, who run sheep and a Hereford breeding unit along the Forgotten Highway.
http://lnkiy.in/herefords
Have a go:
1. How many hectares are Janelle and Lance farming? In what region are their farms?
2. How many generations of the Downs family have been breeding Herefords?
3. Why do you think they choose to breed Herefords? What are the advantages of this breed?
Stretch yourself:
4. What is succession planning? Why do you think this can be a difficult process?
5. The community has started a kids club, providing activities once a week. What benefits might this provide to the whole family and to the community overall?
Did you know?
Where are our sheep and cattle numbers going?
Fewer animals were farmed in New Zealand in 2022 than five years earlier. There have been some changes in land use.
http://lnkiy.in/less-animals
Have a go:
1. Dairy cattle numbers in 2022 fell to their lowest in 11 years. How many dairy cattle were farmed in 2022?
2. How many fewer sheep were farmed in 2022 than five years before that?
3. Cultivation of what type of fruit increased by 154%, or 7800ha, between 2012 and 2022?
Stretch yourself:
4. In what decade did beef cattle numbers peak in New Zealand? Why do you think numbers have been decreasing since then?
5. Do you think animal numbers will increase or decrease in the next five years? Why?
What does it take to win a Ballance Farm Environment Award?
Steven and Kellie Nichol are the regional supreme winners for sheep and beef for Otago in 2023.
http://lnkiy.in/environment-award
Have a go:
1. How big is the property and how long have the Nichol family been farming in Otago?
2. What kind of stock do they farm?
3. Since Steven took over the farm, stock numbers have been reduced. How might this help the environment?
Stretch yourself:
4. What is one way Steven has tried to improve soil health and what benefits has this provided?
5. Biodiversity has been enhanced through the planting of shelterbelts, native shrubland and waterways. What is biodiversity, and why is this important?
6. Why do you think it is important to recognise the efforts of farmers who help the environment?
www.agrihq.co.nz/our-education-resources
