Nitrogen Strategy in NZ: Reducing Reliance on Urea Without Reducing Growth
Nitrogen planning in New Zealand farming is no longer just about response and yield. Urea pricing is tied to global energy markets, and supply depends on international logistics and geopolitical stability. What was once a predictable
input is now less certain. As a result, the focus is shifting from how much nitrogen to apply, to how it is supplied across the season.
Ep 8 – Replacing Urea with Biology? The Science Behind BioN
In this episode of Where Inches Matter, Allan Piercy interviews Gerhard Vermaak of Custom Chemistry, developer of BioN – a patented biological nitrogen fixation technology. Over the past three years, replicated New Zealand pasture trials have shown statistically significant results, with BioN matching or exceeding urea performance under commercial conditions. Topics covered include:• The energy […]
Ep 7 – Dairy Farmer Cuts Fertiliser Use Without Losing Growth | Dion Gordon’s Story
Dion Gordon manages three dairy farms in Canterbury, milking 3,500 cows across a range of soil types. What began with closer soil testing and questioning fertiliser use led to changes in how nitrogen is supplied across the farm. In this episode of Where Inches Matter, Dion talks about reducing fertiliser inputs, why BioN made sense […]
Nitrogen Fertiliser NZ: What the Latest BioN Trial Data Shows
Nitrogen fertiliser decisions in New Zealand farming are rarely simple. Cost, application frequency, regulatory pressure, and pasture response all influence how farmers approach nitrogen programmes. Over the past season, Agraforum has been measuring how different nitrogen approaches perform under real farm conditions. The latest pasture cuts have now been added to the BioN trial dataset. […]
Five Cuts In: What the Cumulative Data Means for Cost and Nitrogen Strategy
We have now completed five measured pasture cuts from October 2025 through January 2026 across four replicated BioN trial farms in Mid Canterbury. Rather than focusing on a single growth window, this update looks at cumulative dry matter production across the season to date. When reviewing nitrogen strategy, total feed grown per hectare is what […]
BioN vs Urea: December Trial Update Across Multiple Farms
We have now completed the latest December pasture cuts across four replicated BioN trial sites in Mid Canterbury, providing a clear view of how BioN is performing under early-summer conditions. This update focuses on measured performance in summer, where nitrogen efficiency and consistency become increasingly important. Rather than relying on short term response windows, these […]