Te Arawa FoMA MRI Fertiliser Project Update
Written by Tom Walters
BIOLOGICAL CONFERENCE - ROTORUA - 2011
Te Arawa Federation of Maori Authorities. Rotorua Lakes and Lands Trust.
Maori Research Institute.
Was an enlightening success and we committed to continue our support for Biological Farming - Sustainable Farming - Organic Farming - Farming
Forever, Healthy Soils, Healthy People.
Our challenges and work over a range of sustainably based structures have increased and we have accommodated, wherever possible, a massive database of people striving to make the environment healthier and friendlier, and to create better options for those who follow in our footsteps, our children.
The premature retirement of farms has been a regular question which research indicates has merit in that we could have undertaken more research outside of the conventional farming methods generally deployed over the past few decades. Our work in this area will continue.
Since the Biological Conference 2011 we have hosted a number of other meetings and mini conferences generally related to supporting the ideals we Maori Landowners contend we need to address in the advent of our farms being subjected to retirement, or to farms coming back from leaseholds which have subjected our soils to long term soil abuse.
In taking lands back our yardstick in measurement of soil health can only be related to how it has been treated and whilst Biological Farming supporters are confronted with "where are the sciences," our contention increasingly support a condition which questions the wisdom of farmers, consultants and suppliers who have given support to a regime of chemically based fertilisation.
Growing feed quickly and squeezing as many cattle as possible into confined areas for as long as possible is not conducive, compatible nor acceptable to healthy soils, healthy people!
We have attended meetings on farms where figures have been "assumed," and the presenters have regularly avoided the real source - what are cattle being fed and how is their health? It is not about what the poor buggers are excreting, it is about what they are being fed and how they are being cared for, isn't it?
Alan Mayne and his "value chain" contribution further encourages us that what we are trying to do does indeed have long term value. Alan's contribution is invaluable.
A mini Conference of Fertiliser Producers was, we understand, a first and we enjoyed the company of thirty two people at that gathering last month, in Rotorua. A general consensus of that meeting was that we do need to get together more often, and if we are to undertake research programs on farms that those programs should be whole farm over minimum three, preferably five, years.
Over the next eight weeks we will convene meetings.
Lastly.
The Maori Research Institute in conjunction with Te Arawa FOMA and Tom Walters are researching the establishment of a duplication of Andreas Kurmann's Econolab in the Bay of Plenty and we hope to have this up and running this year with help and advice from all sectors including those demographically located in USA; India and Japan in particular. This we hope will become a one stop type lab primarily for soil and water testing, to everyone - the community at large.
It appears an oversight that Lifestylers and Gardeners, Golf Courses and Race tracks etc; and the Community are generally overlooked when it comes to being responsible for nitrates. Our desire is to make it possible for all comers to have the ability to have soil and water tests undertaken with minimal fuss and collectively offers our Scientists a facility in which to expand their work ability and requirements.
Conclusively. We require opportunity to independently analyse and test. We will value your responses and hope to have you join us in the preceding offers. Comments please?
Farm forever.
Nga mihi
Tom Walters
Director: Maori Research Institute.
Dep. Chair: Te Arawa Federation of Maori Authorities.
Tom Walters
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