Resilient Pastures Programme
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The Resilient Pastures programme is a seven-year initiative led by DairyNZ with MPI through the Primary Sector Growth fund and industry partners Beef + Lamb New Zealand. It focuses on enhancing pasture performance and persistence on dairy, sheep and beef farms across the upper North Island.
The programme vision is for resilient, climate-adapted pastures across Aotearoa that enable a sustainable and prosperous future for pastoral farming and rural communities.
Featured updates
See how the programme is progressing through farmer-led learning on partner network farms and research focused on building more resilient pastures.
Partner farm network
Follow work happening on farms testing pasture options in real conditions.
Current research
Explore research into pasture persistence, productivity and resilience.
What this research means for you
By addressing challenges impacting pasture productivity and persistence in regions like Tai Tokerau Northland, Waikato, and Te Moana a Toi Bay of Plenty, this research is focused on building a sustainable future for farming and rural communities in the upper North Island. It’s a grassroots, farmer-led initiative that combines practical solutions with collaboration and region-specific research.
Get involved
Want to be part of the Resilient Pastures programme?
Register your interest to hear about workshops, research activities and other opportunities to contribute. We'll contact interested farmers as opportunities become available.
In the video below, hear from the DairyNZ Chair, experts, and farmers on why the Resilient Pastures programme matters.
Our goals
- Define the current and future climate conditions and variability so farmers have knowledge of what to adapt to.
- Evaluate pasture species, mixtures, and management practices for improved resilience and persistence.
- Design profitable and sustainable farming systems based on resilient pastures.
- Promote the adoption of these solutions, supported by decision support tools and stakeholder collaboration.
Benefits for your farm business
- Supporting farm performance in a changing climate.
- Enhanced pasture resilience and persistence leading to a more consistent feed supply and reducing the need for regrassing.
- Improved farm business adaptability to climate variability and weather events.
- Access to region-specific research and recommendations.
- Opportunities to participate in on-farm research and knowledge-sharing events.
What does the programme involve?
Project 1: Climate
- Understand and communicate what climates pastoral farming must adapt to and when.
Project 2: Forage options
- Identify climate-resilient pasture species and management techniques.
- Develop decision support tools for species selection and management.
Project 3: Optimised farm systems
- Profitable and sustainable farm systems through integrating resilient pastures and practices.
Project 4: Adoption
- Widespread adoption of resilient pastures and practices.
- Build collaborative networks to co-develop solutions and shared learning.
Partner farm network
The Resilient Pastures programme includes a network of 15 dairy, sheep and beef farms across Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty. These farms are helping researchers better understand how alternative pasture species perform under commercial farming conditions and what management practices support long-term success.
Each network farm has established a range of pasture species mixes and is monitoring pasture performance and persistence. Farmers are also sharing their observations and experiences, helping researchers identify knowledge gaps and areas where more information is needed.
Farmer input continues to shape the programme. Through discussion groups, field days and on-farm engagement, farmers, researchers and industry partners are working together to build practical knowledge and identify solutions that can help strengthen pasture resilience across the Upper North Island.
Current research
Alongside the partner farm network, the programme is investigating pasture species and management practices that may improve pasture persistence, productivity and resilience under future climate conditions.
The research combines climate modelling, pasture evaluation and farm systems analysis to better understand the opportunities and challenges facing farmers in the Upper North Island.
Research underway
Tall fescue management: A 5-year grazing study to refine management guidelines for modern tall fescue cultivars to maximise productivity, maintain pasture quality and improve persistence.
Climate and pasture modelling: to explore how climate and weather affect ryegrass pasture productivity and persistence now and into the future, and identifying where research findings can be applied across regions with similar conditions.
Farmers can also hear more about Resilient Pastures research through upcoming events and field days. These sessions share progress from the programme, insights from research underway, and practical learnings from partner farms across the Upper North Island.
Funding partners
- Ministry for Primary Industries, through the Primary Sector Growth Fund
- DairyNZ
- Beef+Lamb New Zealand
- TR Ellet Agricultural Research Trust
- Barenbrug
- Fonterra
- Hine Rangi Trust
- Northland Dairy Development Trust
This programme is part of DairyNZ's commitment to supporting sustainable and resilient dairy farming practices in New Zealand.
News articles
Testing more resilient pastures on-farm
Farms across the upper North Island are trialling different pasture mixes as part of a research programme that aims to build greater resilience into farming systems.
Read the full article
Farmers leading the drive for Resilient Pastures
Northland farmers at the sharp end of climate change are putting their experience and knowledge to good use working with DairyNZ and research partners.
Read the full articleProgramme contact
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