Ngā Helters Composting

The impact of composting shelters on dairy farm systems.

Composting shelters are attracting growing interest from dairy farmers looking to operate more efficient, resilient and profitable businesses.

To date, limited knowledge within the New Zealand pastoral context has been available to support farmers and rural professionals in their evaluation of the system.

This project builds on the knowledge base of farmers and technical experts to provide information that can be used as a starting point for those seeking to understand the potential impacts of composting shelters on their own farm business.

The project was led by one of our consultants Rachel Durie, with support and input from Keith Woodford of AgriFood Systems Ltd. We were also grateful for the involvement of one of our Māori trust clients, as well as participation from existing composting shelter farmers.

The project was funded by Our Land and Water through its Rural Professionals Fund 2021–22.

Project Summary

A summary of the full report and analysis can be downloaded here.

It includes:

  • Project background and description
  • Farmer interview summary
  • Composting shelter case study modelling including:
    • Physical performance
    • Environmental performance
    • Financial performance
    • Whole farm business & investment analysis
  • Te Taiao evaluation
  • Conclusion & farmer quotes

The video below also provides an overview of the project and its key findings.

Our Land and Water