Joint effort puts regen to the test

Lincoln University and McCain Foods have teamed up to convert part of the university’s research dairy farm into a future-focused arable unit, with the first crops due to be sown this autumn.

The Lincoln University McCain Foods NextGen Regenerative Farm will establish a 20ha regenerative ag demonstration site at the farm, next to the Lincoln campus.

It’s an eight year collaboration that will trial leading regen practices combined with advanced technology on high-value crops in a 1:8 potato rotation.

The 20ha block allows for three replicas of both conventional and regenerative treatments, with each replica designed to support scientific evidence while maintaining industry-relevant scale.

Results will be compared with the current standard agricultural practices in Canterbury, and reported back to the sector.

Professor Alison Bailey, head of Lincoln University Farms, says the project will test the impact of arable farm management on soils emerging from pasture, comparing standard farm management to regenerative agricultural practices.

“Canterbury is at the heart of arable and cropping in NZ, and bringing it back to Lincoln is a great opportunity for our students, and the industry as a whole, to test the two farming approaches, while at the same time developing a pipeline of work-ready graduates to future-proof the sector.”

The trial will compare soil health, soil carbon, farm inputs, integrated pest management, water use, crop yields and profitability for the two different management techniques as part of a mixed farm system.

The research team is led by Dr Pieter-Willem Hendriks, senior lecturer in agricultural sciences, and Tika Schellevis, McCain regen ag lead agronomist.

They will be supported by a steering group with farmer and sector representatives ensuring practical applicability.

“Our team’s strength lies in its multidisciplinary expertise, global research experience and strong industry connections, positioning us to tackle the complexities of modern arable farming,” Hendriks says.

Josh Opas, agriculture director for McCain Foods, says the project is part of the company’s work to build evidence of the benefits of regen practices on soil health, via the McCain Regenerative Agriculture Framework.

This is a farmer-centred initiative developed in consultation with growers and other experts.