Abstract

This report covers a modelling exercise which is a component of a larger project to assist the Māori pastoral sector to improve its collective capacity to increase resource efficiency, farm productivity, while lowering GHG emissions. Discussions were held with the Trustees and managers of the four Focus Farms involved; Two dairy farms: Pukehina (Bay of Plenty) and Te Rua o Te Moko (Taranaki), and two sheep & beef farms; Oromahoe (Northland), and Morotiri (East Coast). These discussions with the four Focus Farms initially identified a range of farm system-type change scenarios, along with the retirement of marginal land into forestry. The results of the mitigation modelling were presented to the owners/managers at a second meeting to then identify further scenarios for modelling The modelling involved a three stage process; initially farm system changes were modelled in FARMAX, with this system then modelled in OVERSEER. Because FARMAX does not model forestry systems or economics, and OVERSEER does not model carbon sequestration, the scenarios were also run through the Radiata Pine Calculator, and the resultant total economic situation and carbon sequestration calculated via spreadsheet. Given that OVERSEER was being used to model the GHG emissions, changes in nutrient discharges (N and P) were also noted.

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