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Our mission

Soil, Food and Society supports teachers to lead year 5 - 8 students on an inquiry that considers the key message that the nutrients in the air and earth are the same nutrients we eat in our food.

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Soil, Food and Society aims to promote and assist science teaching by:

  • enabling structured inquiry aligned with identified New Zealand Curriculum objectives;

  • embedding New Zealand's Nature of Science Curriculum and Science Concepts;

  • supporting the teaching of English and mathematics through the teaching of science; and

  • aiding the creation of digital evidence to share with your learning community.

Our partners

CORE Education Ltd (CORE) is a world-class professional learning and development, and consultancy organisation. We offer a suite of innovative, empowering, and creative e-learning services that place CORE at the leading edge of educational thinking, research, and practice.

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Unuhia te pō, te pō whiri mārama 
Tomokia te ao, te ao whatu tāngata 
Tātai ki runga, tātai ki raro, tātai aho rau! 
Piki mai rā e ngā muka tāngata huri noa i te ao ki te paetukutuku a CORE Education.

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CORE has a strong desire to transform education, and strives to push the boundaries of educational possibility by providing future-focused professional learning and development, ICT innovation, events, consultancy, thought leadership, and scholarship programmes that stimulate educators and learners across all sectors.

The Fertiliser Quality Council (FQC) was formed by farmers for farmers shortly after the government’s withdrawal from fertiliser auditing in 1992.

Through its ‘Fertmark’ programme, the FQC provides assurance to all purchasers of soil nutrients that ‘what it says on the product is what’s in the product’.

Products are independently audited (on an on-going basis) and, if approved, are permitted to display a distinctive Fertmark tick. This guarantees that the labeling on that product is correct.

The FQC promotes the purchase of Fertmark-approved nutrient products alongside using ‘Spreadmark’ certified groundspreaders, to make certain that the topical application of nutrients is accurate.

The Spreadmark scheme is a quality assurance programme, also overseen by the FQC. It guarantees accurate fertiliser distribution by trained operators, using certified spreading machinery and a management system that puts economic and environmental farmer/grower outcomes first.

Farmers who use both Fertmarked products and a Spreadmark accredited company can be assured of the best agricultural, environmental and economic returns.

The FQC is an independent organisation which draws on the knowledge, expertise and resources of over 30 representatives from across the agricultural industry.

Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) www.hortnz.co.nz is an industry association representing New Zealand's 5,500 commercial fruit and vegetable growers.

New Zealand horticulture is a $5 billion industry, and New Zealand's fourth largest export industry. We export 60% of production with a total value of $2.6 billion to more than 120 countries.

The industry has a reputation for innovation, quality, early adoption of new technology and smart response to market demand.

The horticulture industry has a production area of more than 120,000 hectares.  There are a wide range of crops from kiwifruit ,  apples, and cherries  to fresh vegetables and potatoes, grown from the tip of the North Island to Central Otago.

Horticulture is a critical part of New Zealand’s economy and social fabric.

Growing and protecting New Zealand

We're helping to maximise export opportunities for our primary industries, improve sector productivity, increase sustainable resource use, and protect New Zealand from biological risk

DairyNZ is the industry body who invests dairy farmers’ money into a wide range of programmes to help them to be both competitive and responsible.

We focus on research and development

We research farm systems now and for the future, using farmers’ levy money and government research funding for specific projects.

We help with the business of farming

DairyNZ runs a range of programmes to help farmers learn skills, share experiences with other farmers and support innovation.

We work to get the best people into dairying

We fund and run a range of training workshops and events, along with developing resources to increase knowledge and expertise in dairying. We also promote dairy careers in schools and universities – aiming to get talent into the industry.

We represent farmers' interests

We talk to regional councils and government to ensure good policy outcomes that ensure dairy farming works for everyone. We ensure good science and data analysis underpins policy decisions so that solutions are workable, address the real issues and deliver enduring results.

We help with environmental responsibilities

DairyNZ is leading the industry to meet commitments under the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord. This includes work to exclude stock from waterways, manage nutrients and effluent, and make efficient use of water.

Federated Farmers is New Zealand’s leading independent rural advocacy organisation.

The federation’s aim is to add value to the business of farming for our members and encouraging sustainability through good management practice.

Federated Farmers consists of 24 provinces and associated branches giving farmers a collective voice at both a national and provincial level.

Policy is member driven. Members’ views are canvassed by staff and elected representatives who formulate submissions to help local and central government decision making.

A National Council and National Board govern the federation. The National Board meets regularly and comprises of a president, vice-president, three industry group chairpersons and two National Board members at large. The National Council meets twice a year and comprises of the National Board and representatives from both the provinces and industry groups.

Learn more about Federated Farmers here www.fedfarm.org.nz or call 0800 327 646.  Follow Federated Farmers on Facebook and Twitter.

From DIY experiments, to professional development programmes, House of Science provides a range of educational tools for the whole community. Our Science Resource Library for primary schools is extremely popular.

The House of Science was established in 2013 by Chris Duggan with a vision to raise Scientific Literacy throughout the Western Bay of Plenty (WBOP) and to give children a place to explore, experiment and investigate science in all its forms.

There are a growing number of House of Science branches popping up around the country. For details see the website: www.houseofscience.org.nz

All food grown for humans and animals comes from our soils. And when that food is worth $23 billion to the New Zealand economy each year, there is a fair amount of nutrients to put back into the ground.  This is where Ravensdown comes in.
Owned by farmers, we work for farmers. We’re not here to make record profits or sell more than is needed. But to pass on value to shareholders throughout the year, and in the form of an annual rebate on the fertiliser that is purchased.
Now more than ever, customers need a partner to be by their side who can help them make the right choices for their farm. For the Ravensdown team, the reason we come to work every day is all about building a sustainable future and growing prosperity: for our owners, for our agri-sector and for our country.

Covering the country with one-on-one specialist advice, Ballance Agri-Nutrients is a New Zealand farmer-owned co-operative that helps its customers to operate more productively, profitably and sustainably.

Our approach is to create real value for farmers through the provision of complete farm nutrient management advice, products and technology, including fertiliser, feed, online farm management and aerial topdressing. Our products include imported and locally manufactured fertilisers, which are suitable for use in pastoral farming, as well as on arable and horticultural crops.

We have a nationwide distribution chain, with outlets from Kaitaia in the north to Invercargill in the south. Our fertiliser-manufacturing sites are located in Mount Maunganui and Awarua, and we own the country’s only ammonia-urea manufacturing plant, which is located in Taranaki. Our subsidiary companies include SealesWinslow, which runs three feed-manufacturing plants (in Morrinsville, Whanganui and Ashburton) and Super Air, which provides aerial top-dressing services to North Island farmers.

Our support for farming excellence has seen us sponsor the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for over a decade, profiling, promoting and celebrating the achievements of New Zealand’s most sustainable farming operations. We also have a strong focus on research, and partner with leading scientists and research institutes to develop new products and tools that will help keep New Zealand agriculture efficient, effective and environmentally friendly.

Learn more about Ballance at www.ballance.co.nz and follow us on Facebook.

IrrigationNZ is the national body representing irrigators and the irrigation industry. Our mission is to promote excellence in irrigation throughout New Zealand. We do this through being the primary contact and support vehicle for addressing irrigation challenges and opportunities at both a national and local level. IrrigationNZ launched the SMART Irrigation Programme in 2014 which stands for Sustainably Managed, Accountable, Responsible and Trusted Irrigation.

Formed in 1932, New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) is a registered charitable organisation governed by a Board made up of both members and strategic primary industry partners. 

We provide opportunities for young people with an interest in the primary industry to reach their potential by participating in activities and events, through education, development and leadership pathways. This happens throughout New Zealand at community, regional and national levels. 

Industry partners provide us with support to run programmes such as Education in Agriculture, Career Champions, Rural Mentor and Get Ahead Teachers Days out. These are only a few of the wide range of programme that NZYF runs and manages. 

NZYFs’ membership is the lifeblood of the organisation.  The majority of our 6,200 members are spread across our 76 Young Farmers Clubs with members aged between 16-31 years, our TeenAg Clubs (secondary schools), and AgriKids members (primary schools). NZYF also provides programmes accessible for members only, which can help them to fast track their development and leadership skills.

New Zealand Young Farmers’ broader objectives is about actively engaging young people from across the wider community in the primary industry sector, and inspiring and empowering them to be the business leaders of tomorrow.

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