Successful Sustainable Farming Fund grants announced

Successful Sustainable Farming Fund grants announced

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Sustainable Farming Fund
(SFF) has approved funding for 71 new grants totalling $9.5 million
over three years to support grass roots action by farmers, growers and
foresters.

New grants are spread geographically across the country and focus on
issues ranging from new pest management tools, organic production,
improving nutrient management, promoting pastoral persistence,
improving water use efficiency and eliminating quarantine pests to the
introduction of biological controls and the investigation of
non-chemical controls.

The Fund was set up in 2000 to fund projects that contribute to the
economic, environmental and social wellbeing of New Zealand’s
land-based primary industries. To date the SFF has supported nearly
700 projects involving all sectors and interests.

This funding has been matched in cash and in-kind by industry,
community groups and individuals. Each year the fund is heavily
oversubscribed and only the top applications are funded.

MAF’s Director of Natural Resources Mike Jebson says the SFF
partners with all of New Zealand’s land-based primary industries and
continues to be driven by strong collaboration.

“All projects receiving government funding are underpinned by
significant contribution from the industry, community groups and
individuals.

“The Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) continues to be driven by
strong communities of interest. It has a keen focus on environmental
sustainability and plays a crucial role in attempting to plug a gap in
transferring knowledge and technology to our farmers, growers and
foresters throughout the country.

Find out more about successful SFF Fund Projects at
http://www.maf.govt.nz/agriculture/funding-programmes/sustainable-farming-fund

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