19 Jun 2012

NZ drill designer promotes no tillage methods in Europe

8:00 am on 19 June 2012

The New Zealand developer and manufacturer of a unique seed drill is in Europe this week expounding the benefits of sowing without ploughing.

John Baker and his team are holding an international conference and field days in Germany and France to encourage more European farmers to adopt no-tillage methods, which he says produce bigger crop yields in a more sustainable way.

The drill he designed and now exports to 17 countries sows and fertilises seed with minimal disturbance to the soil.

Dr Baker was nominated for the World Food Prize, which he missed out on this year, but his nomination carries through to next year.