8 Apr 2015

$8m for sustainable farming projects

7:15 am on 8 April 2015

The government's Sustainable Farming Fund will distribute about $8 million in funding for 29 new projects.

Dry farm land in Wairarapa, east of Masterton.

Dry farm land in Wairarapa, east of Masterton. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

More than $16 million will also come from other sources over four years.

The Sustainable Farming Fund supports generally smaller scale projects which provide practical solutions for primary industries.

The latest crop includes developing aids for farmers to improve water quality and reduce nutrient loss, and helping onion and potato growers to increase production and battling rot in apples.

Five forestry research projects will also get funding.

The fund has invested more than $120 million in about in 950 projects during the past 15 years.

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