Letter to Ministers and MPs: Seizing the opportunities of organic regenerative farming

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A remit passed at the 2022 Soil & Health AGM calling for advocacy on climate change action through organic regenerative farming.

The following letter was sent to Ministers and MPs on 18th April 2023.

To:
Hon Damian O’Connor MP, Minister for Primary Industries;
Hon James Shaw MP, Minister of Climate Change
Chris Luxon MP, Leader of the Opposition
Todd McClay MP, Opposition spokesperson for agriculture
Simon Watts MP, Opposition spokesperson for climate change
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer MP, Co-leader Te Pāti Māori
Mark Cameron MP, ACT Party agriculture spokesperson
Simon Court MP, ACT Party climate change spokesperson
Teanau Tuiono MP, Green Party agriculture spokesperson

Dear Ministers, and Members of Parliament,

Re. Seizing the Opportunities of Organic Regenerative Farming

We write to you in the aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle, as the country continues to grapple with the challenges of a changing climate and the need to reduce our emissions in line with international agreements. The Organic Products and Production Act has also now received Royal Assent. The passing of this legislation is a major opportunity for our country.

Organic regenerative farmers around New Zealand are leading the way. They are doing this by lowering their environmental footprint through organic regenerative farm practice, whilst also commanding a premium price in domestic and international markets through organic certification. We believe that greater political support for the transition to organic food and farming, while embracing regenerative practices, can deliver the best of both worlds. This means lower gross emissions and environmental impact, whilst upholding the best possible price for farm produce.

As political parties prepare for this year’s general election, we implore you to champion support for the organic regenerative transition. Trading partners such as the European Union and United States are already moving in this direction. They have clear targets and incentives from the government.

The Global Shift to Environmental Leadership Through Organics

The return on organic produce is higher than for conventional. This premium is based on consumer concern for environmentally sustainable food, and trust in organic certification which is a globally recognised and regulated system.

The EU provides funding for organic transition, with a goal to have 25% of the EU’s agricultural land area under organic management by 2030. The United States recently announced $300m for organic transition.

Organic regenerative farms across New Zealand are a largely untapped resource when it comes to climate change and the environment. It is time to create a more open and meaningful exchange of knowledge between the organic and conventional sectors for the benefit of the environment and society. This work requires leadership and resourcing from all sides, including politicians and the government.

Lowering Our Carbon Intensity

The prohibition of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer on organic farms alone makes their carbon footprint significantly different from conventional counterparts.

Between 1991 and 2019, the amount of nitrogen applied to New Zealand soil increased by 629%. When soil microbes consume nitrogen, they also consume a proportional amount of carbon, potentially emitting more GHGs. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizers also cause more nitrous oxide (a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than CO2) to be emitted from soil.

Although nitrous oxide emissions occur on nearly all farms to some degree, organic farms in Europe were found to emit 40% less than comparable conventional farms. Techniques commonly used by organic farmers, including manure composting, have been shown in Europe to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide by 50% and methane by 70%.

Policy to Support Environmental Leadership on Farms

To advance this vital opportunity we are calling on politicians and the government to:

  1. Fund targeted research on organic farm management and climate emissions,
  2. Give incentives and support for regenerative farmers to obtain organic certification, such as bridging finance or grants to cover certification (typically over three years),
  3. Ensure ongoing structural funding for organic sector organisations to deliver extension and support for organic growers and businesses and conventional farmers wishing to convert to organics.

We would be happy to supply more information on any of the points raised in this letter,

Yours sincerely

Marion Wood

Chairperson, the Soil & Health Association of New Zealand

A PDF version of the letter can be accessed here.

Climate advice means government should support transition to organic, regenerative farming

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Today’s Climate Commission advice shows we need a transition from synthetic fertilisers and other harmful practices towards organic and regenerative agriculture, said Soil & Health Association spokesperson Jenny Lux today.

“Organic regenerative farming is a huge opportunity for New Zealand, both economically and environmentally. Early movers have shown that we can make that shift rapidly. With government help the transition to producing high quality, high value food within planetary limits is achievable for most NZ farms.

“We’d like to see funding and other support for farmers to start shifting to lower emissions agriculture now.

“The Climate Commission says we can tackle agricultural emissions with the technology we already have. This includes organic and regenerative practices like phasing out synthetic fertilisers, reducing tillage, and intensifying cover cropping to build soil health and promote biodiversity.

“Healthy agricultural soils sequester carbon. The government could drive this change with a policy to support farmers with technical knowledge and the costs of transition.

“Money in this year’s budget would be good.”

Soil4Climate breaks new ground in Wellington

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Sifting through soil for evidence of lifeWords by Marion Wood, Chairperson, Soil & Health Association of Aotearoa New Zealand
 
Did you know there’s triple the amount of carbon in soil worldwide as there is in the atmosphere? This was one of many ‘wow’ moments from the launch of Soil4Climate during Organic Week 2020.
 

About Soil4Climate

Soil4Climate will do several things at once. It will put carbon from the air back into the soil, support growth in biodiversity, reduce food miles, and build the food resilience of local communities.
 
But that’s not all. Soil4Climate will also support the wider community of enthusiastic growers. As a result, growers will gather data about what works, spread the knowledge of how to build soil health, and improve our methods of doing so.
 
This is an open collaborative piece of work that we hope will inspire many.
 

Jessica Barnes and Jenny Lux mixing soil samples at the Soil4Climate launch.

We’re excited to be underway at two sites. We have begun at Tapu-te-ranga marae in Island Bay and at For the Better Good’s Porirua ‘Edible Earth’ farm (in partnership with WELLFed). We’ve started by bench-marking the current health of the soil at both sites. Over the coming year we will watch as the soil is built up through organic growing methods.

Next we are going to grow the project to include test sites around Aotearoa. This will include urban farms, market gardens, pastoral land, schools and backyard gardens.

You can read a bit more about Soil4Climate here.

We firmly believe that organic growing methods are crucial to mitigating climate change.
 

So how does it work?

Our measurements follow established soil science methods

Our measurements follow established soil science methods

 

We’re using three sets of measurements to test for carbon and other nutrients in soil health:

  1. The Visual Soil Assessment – which is a hands-on observation of different aspects of the soil. We record how the soil looks, its colour, smell,  structure and even the number of earthworms – that bit was great fun!
  2. The soil Microbiometer – here we are measuring the microscopic life in the soil. We know this is vital for plant health and biodiversity. We are looking at microbial and fungal biomass, and working out the fungal to bacteria ratio.
  3. Laboratory analysis of soil content – we send samples to recognized laboratories who analyse the soil. We are measuring things like mineral elements and the carbon content.

Soil4Climate’s initial results will be compared with repeat tests done over time. We expect soil health to improve as we grow on the land and change it’s soil composition through organics.

At the same time we are supporting community growers to connect with each other. This project will support us all to learn new things. And of course we are growing nutritious healthy local kai to sustain community.

Jessica Barnes shows us the composting system at For the Better Good's Porirua 'Edible Earth' farm in partnership with WELLfed.

Jessica Barnes shows us the composting system at For the Better Good’s Porirua ‘Edible Earth’ farm in partnership with WELLfed.

How much impact can we have on carbon emissions?

There’s a perception that agricultural soils in Aotearoa can’t sequester carbon. We think this is because the soils that have been examined are mostly microbially impoverished soils. This means the microscopic life like bacteria and fungi have been destroyed. Chemical spraying, tillage, and other land practises are often to blame for this. It means the soils are not functioning naturally or optimally. 
 
For example, regenerative soil consultant Phyllis Tichinin estimates that 1-3 tonnes of carbon can be sequestered per hectare of pasture per year.  If this is the case then the pastoral sector alone could make Aotearoa carbon neutral (and even carbon negative) within just a few years. This can happen if we move powerfully now to adopt organic and regenerative practices.
 
We desperately need more research into this area. Soil4Climate is putting a stake in the ground – literally – to start this process.