Regenerative agriculture — farming practices that restore soil health, increase biodiversity, sequester carbon, and improve water quality while maintaining or improving farm productivity — is increasingly central to New Zealand's agricultural future. As conventional intensive farming faces growing pressure from environmental regulations, consumer expectations, and climate change, transition to more sustainable practices is supported by a growing suite of grants and funded programmes.
Regenerative agriculture encompasses practices that:
- Build soil organic matter and soil health
- Reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides
- Increase on-farm biodiversity
- Improve water quality through reduced runoff and better land management
- Sequester carbon in soils and vegetation
- Maintain or improve farm productivity and profitability while achieving environmental goals
In New Zealand, this is sometimes framed as "low-emissions farming," "sustainable intensification," or "nature-positive agriculture" — different emphases but aligned principles.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)
MPI is the primary government funder for agricultural sustainability transitions:
Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF)
The Sustainable Farming Fund supports research and knowledge transfer for sustainable farming — including projects on:
- Emissions reduction in farming (particularly methane and nitrous oxide)
- Improved nutrient management
- Soil health and carbon sequestration
- Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes
- Integrated pest management
SFF grants are competitive and available to farmer groups, research institutions, and agricultural organisations.
Agritech industry transformation
MPI's agritech investment supports precision agriculture tools — sensors, data platforms, and decision support systems that enable more precise and less wasteful resource use.
Primary Growth Partnership (PGP)
Government-industry co-investment in agricultural innovation — including sustainability-focused projects. Industry partners co-fund at least 50% of project cost.
SFF Futures
Successor programme to SFF, supporting agricultural innovation and sustainability.
Regional councils
Regional councils have significant responsibilities for freshwater quality and land management — and fund on-farm environmental improvement:
- Fencing waterways (riparian planting grants)
- Wetland restoration on farmland
- Sustainable land management plans
- Nutrient management support
- Erosion control on hill country
Each regional council has different programmes — Horizons, Environment Waikato, Canterbury Regional Council, and others all have specific on-farm environmental programmes.
Environment Fund and Envirolink
Envirolink provides environmental research and advice to primary sector — some grant-based, some funded advice provision.
New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) creates economic incentives for carbon sequestration on farms:
- Permanent forest establishment (afforestation) generates NZUs (carbon credits)
- Some exotic forestry on farmland
- Native bush establishment in erosion-prone areas
Carbon farming isn't a grant but a market mechanism — however, some grant programmes support farmers to understand and access the ETS.
Environmental foundations
Some New Zealand environmental foundations are beginning to engage with agricultural transformation:
- Land-focused conservation trusts funding biodiversity on working farms
- Climate-focused philanthropy supporting low-emissions farming transitions
- Water quality philanthropy aligned with freshwater improvement
Foundation North and community foundations
Regional community foundations occasionally fund agricultural sustainability where there are clear community benefits.
Packard Foundation and international funders
Some international foundations focused on food systems and agriculture fund New Zealand research — particularly on methane emissions from livestock and regenerative agriculture models.
Corporate sustainability programmes
Food companies, retailers, and exporters with sustainability commitments increasingly support on-farm transitions:
- Premium pricing for sustainably-produced products (market incentive)
- Supplier support programmes (technical assistance)
- Some direct grants for transition costs
Soil health
Soil organic matter, earthworm counts, soil biodiversity, and carbon content are improving measures of regenerative practice effectiveness. Grants often require baseline soil testing and follow-up measurement.
Riparian management
Fencing and planting waterway margins to reduce erosion, filter nutrients, and restore habitat. One of the most commonly grant-funded on-farm environmental practices.
Reduced synthetic input
Replacing synthetic nitrogen fertiliser with biologically-fixed nitrogen (legumes, clover systems), composting, and precision application. Both economic and environmental benefit.
Diverse pastures
Multi-species pastures — plantain, chicory, clover mixes alongside ryegrass — improve animal nutrition, reduce water use, and can reduce methane emissions.
Integrated livestock-crop systems
Combining livestock and cropping to build soil health, reduce inputs, and increase farm resilience.
Successful applications in this space:
Tahua's grants management platform supports agricultural funders managing complex grant programmes — with farm project tracking, environmental outcome measurement, multi-round grant management, and the reporting tools that help MPI and regional funders demonstrate the impact of their investment in New Zealand's agricultural transformation.