Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures projects
Find out about Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) projects that have been funded so far.
The Medicinal Cannabis Playbook – Genetic Breeding and Organic Production
- Project start date:
- Project length: 5 years
- MPI funding: $13,023,120
- Co-investment funding: $19,193,000
- Sectors: Nutraceuticals/medical
- Project partners: Puro New Zealand Limited
- Regions: Marlborough
This project will trial and develop various techniques for growing high-value, organically produced medicinal cannabis commercially. By developing New Zealand owned IP and cultivars, local growers would be less reliant on imported varieties. As well as developing unique pharmaceutical-grade cultivars and seed stock, Puro will produce a production handbook that will be available to the wider industry.
Govt helps fast-track organic medicinal cannabis industry – Government media release
$13m grant turbocharges NZ’s medicinal cannabis industry – Puro
Puro quarterly progress report – March 2024 [PDF, 157 KB]
Puro quarterly progress report – January 2024 [PDF, 183 KB]
Puro quarterly progress report – October 2023 [PDF, 154 KB]
Puro quarterly progress report – July 2023 [PDF, 157 KB]
Puro quarterly progress report – April 2023 [PDF, 152 KB]
Puro quarterly progress report – December 2022 [PDF, 141 KB]
Puro quarterly progress report – October 2022 [PDF, 107 KB]
Puro quarterly progress report – July 2022 [PDF, 106 KB]
The New Zealand Vine to Wine Book
- Project start date:
- Project length: 18 months
- MPI funding: $75,000
- Co-investment funding: $64,500
- Sectors: Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Viticulture
- Project partners: New Zealand Winegrowers Incorporated
- Regions: Nationwide
This programme will deliver a detailed winegrowing industry education resource (in both hard copy and digital format), to support secondary school teachers to include winegrowing related topics in NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3. The resource will contain industry reference information, data and practical examples.
The right dog for the job - decoding the DNA of working farm dogs for welfare and performance
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $777,019
- Co-investment funding: $1,149,493
- Sectors: Dairy, Meat, Natural fibres
- Project partners: Massey University
- Regions: Nationwide
This project will help determine the genetic health of working dogs by enabling breeding solutions that improve health, wellbeing and performance.
From 'good' old Kiwi farm dog to 'great' - Government media release
The role of the biogenic cycle in wool-based building materials
- Project start date:
- Project length: 1 year 3 months
- MPI funding: $34,644
- Co-investment funding: $51,966
- Sectors: Natural fibres
- Sub-sectors: Other wool products
- Project partners: Terra Lana, Victoria University of Wellington
- Regions: Canterbury
This project will partner develop an Life Cycle Assessment and Environment Product Declaration for Terra Lana’s wool insulation and landscape matting products. These internationally recognised accreditations will provide the scientific evidence needed to back up Terra Lana’s sustainability value proposition and will help substantiate claims of New Zealand strong wool as one of the most sustainable fibres available globally.
Towards carbon neutral red meat
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $98,450
- Co-investment funding: $370,640
- Sectors: Meat
- Sub-sectors: Beef
- Project partners: Silver Fern Farms
- Regions: Nationwide
Silver Fern Farms worked with a group of 17 farmer suppliers across the country to help them understand their own carbon footprint and where opportunities lie to optimise carbon stored on their farms. The information gathered in the pilot has helped to build the foundations for establishing and verifying a market proposition for low or zero carbon red meat from New Zealand.
Transforming mussel waste into valuable product
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $313,000
- Co-investment funding: $471,000
- Sectors: Seafood/aquatic
- Sub-sectors: Other seafood/aquatic products/research
- Project partners: Environmental Decontamination (NZ) Limited
- Regions: Auckland, Bay of Plenty
Currently, mussel shell waste is sent to landfill at a cost to both producers and the environment. This project assessed the potential of an innovative mechanochemical technology to transform mussel shells into calcium carbonate products for use across industry sectors.
Grinding mussel shells into calcium carbonate offers high-value waste solution – MPI media release
Transforming the New Zealand onion industry from humble to hero
- Project start date:
- Project length: 6 years
- MPI funding: $2,830,000
- Co-investment funding: $3,194,380
- Sectors: Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Onions
- Project partners: Onions New Zealand Inc
- Regions: Nationwide
This industry-led transformation programme has three major themes of work designed to redesign the status quo of the New Zealand onion industry exports. Overall, the project will boost the market position of New Zealand onions globally through market and consumer research, market diversification, developing market assurances, and identifying and promoting value attributes.
'Humble' onion to undergo extreme makeover – Government media release
April to June 2023 – Humble to Hero progress report [PDF, 287 KB]
January to March 2023 – Humble to Hero progress report [PDF, 288 KB]
October to December 2022 – Humble to Hero progress report [PDF, 136 KB]
Transitioning exotic forest to native
- Project start date:
- Project length: 5 years
- MPI funding: $885,000
- Co-investment funding: $202,000
- Sectors: Forestry
- Sub-sectors: Conservation forestry
- Project partners: Tane’s Tree Trust
- Regions: Nationwide
This research programme aims to provide an evidence base around transitioning exotic forest to natives in New Zealand. It will involve surveys, experiments and modelling examining different pine or eucalyptus canopies to see how native forest species are able to regenerate both underneath and within naturally thinning canopies.
Triploid Mussels: Quantifying Benefits for Production and Value in the NZ Greenshell Mussel Industry
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $410,000
- Co-investment funding: $410,000
- Sectors: Seafood/aquatic
- Sub-sectors: Farmed - marine shellfish
- Project partners: New Zealand Aquaculture Limited
- Regions: Nationwide
This project will quantify the potential benefits to the Greenshell Mussel industry of farming non-reproductive triploid mussel stocks. Benefits include their potential to provide reduced seasonality in production, increased growth and survival rates, and greater spat (seed) retention.
Tupuaanuku Māori Horticulture
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $945,000
- Co-investment funding: $189,000
- Sectors: Horticulture, Māori agribusiness
- Sub-sectors: Other vegetables/vegetable products
- Project partners: Tupuaanuku Māori Horticulture
- Regions: Northland
The project seeks to enable Māori landowners who are working collaboratively toward new horticulture establishment of their land assets. Water availability is a major barrier in Te Tai Tokerau and this project supports the investigation of water that is required for horticulture ventures.
Tuwharetoa Collective
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $648,500
- Co-investment funding: $140,000
- Sectors: Horticulture, Māori agribusiness
- Project partners: Tuwharetoa Collective
- Regions: Waikato
This project will enable the implementation of the Tūwharetoa Collective Accelerator Cluster work programme. Following the investigation of alternate land uses, the cluster will focus on establishing operations for the following four industries: native timber, aquaculture and water, sheep milk and horticulture.
Understanding the global market potential for NZ sheep and beef farmers adopting regenerative agriculture
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $390,000
- Co-investment funding: $260,000
- Sectors: Meat, Regenerative agriculture
- Sub-sectors: Other meat products/research
- Project partners: Beef + Lamb NZ, Bragato Research Institute
- Regions: Nationwide
This project researched the global market potential of regenerative agriculture for New Zealand’s sheep, beef and wine sectors. It aimed to understand consumers’ attitudes and to provide a large-scale, evidence-based picture of the potential market upsides – or downsides – of regenerative agriculture.
New Zealand well-placed to ride regenerative agriculture wave – Beef + Lamb NZ
Summary report [PDF, 2.6 MB]
Full report: Consumer insights [PDF, 6.6 MB]
Full report: Market scan [PDF, 11 MB]
Understanding the opportunity for avocados in Northland
- Project start date:
- Project length: 2 years
- MPI funding: $176,700
- Co-investment funding: $118,300
- Sectors: Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Avocados
- Project partners: NZ Avocado
- Regions: Northland
This project is a co-ordinated feasibility study of what is needed to optimise the growth of volume, value, and visibility of avocados in Northland. The study will look at land, water, labour, and infrastructure. It will highlight the current state of the local industry, and determine what is required for optimal future development.
Unified approach to vegetable on-farm biosecurity
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $14,700
- Co-investment funding: $24,900
- Sectors: Biosecurity, Horticulture, Sector resilience
- Project partners: Onions NZ (lead), Vegetables NZ Inc, Tomatoes NZ Inc, Processed Vegetables Inc, New Zealand Buttercup Squash Council, NZ Asparagus Council
- Regions: Nationwide
Onions New Zealand developed two on-farm biosecurity manuals for covered crops and outdoor crops, in collaboration with other product groups in the vegetable sector. The case studies explain the impacts, procedures and reactive methods that were used in New Zealand during previous horticultural incursions.
Download Vegetable Growers’ On-Farm Biosecurity Manual: Guide for Covered Crops – Vegetables NZ Inc.
Download Vegetable Growers’ On-Farm Biosecurity Manual: Guide for Outdoor Crops – Vegetables NZ Inc.
Unrealised Potential
- Project start date:
- Project length: 3 years
- MPI funding: $4,635,377
- Co-investment funding: $4,848,127
- Sectors: Agritech, Seafood/aquatic
- Sub-sectors: Other fisheries research - miscellaneous
- Project partners: Precision Seafood Harvesting Ltd (Sealord, Sanford, Aotearoa Fisheries, Plant & Food Research)
- Regions: Nationwide
Unrealised Potential builds on the outcomes of the Precision Seafood Harvesting Primary Growth Partnership programme. It aims to complete research to validate the benefits of the Modular Harvest System (MHS) technology on species survivability, selectivity and quality. It will then commercialise a prototype technology to improve data collection from the in-trawl environment and enable further reductions in unintended catch mortality, including protected species. As well as gaining approval for additional species and fishing areas, the programme will seek commercialisation opportunities including manufacturing and distribution for the MHS both domestically and within key international markets.
Media releases
Kiwi technology safeguarding fish stocks offers global opportunity
Programme documents
Outcome logic model [PDF, 136 KB]
Precision Seafood Harvesting Primary Growth Partnership programme
Quarterly progress report summaries
'Unrealised Potential' SFF Futures programme quarterly report Year 2 Q1 – October to December 2023 [PDF, 133 KB]
'Unrealised Potential' SFF Futures programme quarterly report Year 1 Q4 – July to September 2023 [PDF, 216 KB]
'Unrealised Potential' SFF Futures programme quarterly report Year 1 Q3 – April to June 2023 [PDF, 216 KB]
'Unrealised Potential' SFF Futures programme quarterly report Year 1 Q2 – January to March 2023 [PDF, 214 KB]
Upcycling NZ process grade avocados for global export
- Project start date:
- MPI funding: $526,800
- Co-investment funding: $790,700
- Sectors: Horticulture
- Sub-sectors: Avocados
- Project partners: Ovāvo Limited
- Regions: Northland
Ovāvo Limited has developed an extract from the waste stream of avocado skins, which would otherwise have gone to landfill. The extract has potential as a functional food additive and preservative. This project supports further research and development to ensure it is safe for human consumption and to gain regulatory approval.
Vaccine for Bovine Viral Diarrhoea
- Project start date:
- Project length: 5 years
- MPI funding: $372,000
- Co-investment funding: $558,000
- Sectors: Dairy
- Sub-sectors: Other animal dairy products/research
- Project partners: AgriHealth NZ Limited
- Regions: Nationwide
This project will develop a modified live virus vaccine against Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD). The research will focus on developing an effective immunogen and establishing its safety and efficacy for use, with the aim of improving animal welfare and increasing on-farm returns.
Valuing the provision of New Zealand’s ecosystem services
- Project start date:
- Project length: 4 years
- MPI funding: $560,265
- Co-investment funding: $350,114
- Sectors: Dairy
- Sub-sectors: Other animal dairy products/research
- Project partners: Pāmu Landcorp, Lincoln University, Tane's Tree Trust, Wildland Consultants Ltd, Tindall Foundation
- Regions: Nationwide, Northland
This project aims to show that the benefits gained from improving the condition of our ecosystems such as nutrient cycling, flood and erosion control, carbon sequestration and improvements in water quality, can be quantified in economic terms. The project will develop a framework to help assess these economic benefits. It will develop an easy-to-use, prototype phone application and online tool to help quantify the value of ecosystem improvement measures.
Varroa Elimination Unit (VEU)
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $59,000
- Co-investment funding: $60,600
- Sectors: Apiculture
- Sub-sectors: Other apiculture products (wax/pollen products)
- Project partners: Cooling Solutions Ltd
- Regions: Nationwide
This project trialled 14 Varroa elimination units to help protect bee colonies from Varroa infestations. The units used sensors to measure the amount of miticide (a fumigant used to kill Varroa mites) that circulates around the hive. While the trial did not improve the health of the beehives, the research furthered understanding of the types of fumigants that are most effective.
Vatman Pro / Auto
- Project start date:
- Completed date:
- MPI funding: $205,294
- Co-investment funding: $307,942
- Sectors: Agritech, Dairy
- Sub-sectors: Other animal dairy products/research
- Project partners: Dairy Technology Services Ltd
- Regions: Waikato
This project sought to improve productivity and worker safety on farm while reducing waste and costs. It created a software dashboard and diagnostic tools which have progressed through viability testing to commercialisation. The ‘Silo-Man’, which measures grain levels, was designed in response to Worksafe’s guidance that, where possible, workers should not climb or enter silos. The ‘Vat-Man Auto’ offers refrigeration integration and temperature control, while hot water clean-in-place (CIP) systems are being further developed for next generation milk vat monitoring. This CIP control ensures compliance with regulations while not wasting energy by heating beyond the required temperature.