Following the release of the Climate Change Commission’s Draft Advice for consultation and the evidence that Aotearoa is
not on track to meet emissions targets one Kiwi company is a voice of positivity and innovation, pushing past the
negativity and industry insistence that we do not have the technology to reduce agricultural emissions without reducing
revenue.
Zest Biotech has developed a unique technology: a pasture spray called Biozest. Biozest increases pasture growth and
quality and, when consumed by ruminant livestock, reduces waste in the form of urea and methane.
Biozest has been extensively tested on New Zealand farms and the founder of Zest Biotech, Nathan Balasingham, has
presented the data and science at international conferences including the Greenhouse Gas Animal Agriculture Conference.
Yet, while there are a number of local farmers using Biozest, industry lobby groups and CRIs have ignored this
innovative technology.
Nathan remains optimistic and says he hopes the industry will recognise that solutions can come from outside the CRIs
and big players. He hopes industry leaders will seize the opportunity to collaborate, work with Zest Biotech to quantify
the emissions reductions, and secure the position of New Zealand dairy and meat products in world markets.
“This is an opportunity for New Zealand to get in front of international pushback on our failure to meet emissions
targets. We do have a homegrown technology, tailored to our grass-fed farming style, that reduces emissions and
increases productivity at the same time. Biozest is not a cost bleed.
The key is efficiency. Waste, or pollution, is wasted resources. By enabling both the pasture and cows to be more
efficient we can reduce losses in the form of methane and nitrates and increase milk and meat production. It’s a win-win
for Kiwi farmers.”