4 | ARABLE » Brian Leadley Wheat key for Brian Leadley’s operation Rotational farming systems, as in farming systems that are not monocultural, are where the environmental bene ts of wheat’s natural harvesting of nutrient loads comes to the fore. Virginia Wright Arable farmer Brian Leadley has been involved with United Wheat Growers Ltd for the last 20 or so years, the last six as Chair of the board. While wheat isn’t the only crop he grows the wheat industry has always been a key part of his farming operation and Brian’s interest in the wellbeing of the wheat industry has always been strong. Rotational farming systems, as in farming systems that are not monocultural, are where the environmental bene ts of wheat’s natural harvesting of nutrient loads comes to the fore. Legume crops such as clover seed, beans or peas can leave quite strong nutrients in the ground that the wheat bene ts from, and by extension bene ts the soil, when it uses the nitrogen that might otherwise be in danger of leaching. “It plays a big part in the arable sector as a whole and is a strong and important part of crop rotations on farms,” says Brian. “Not only is the return on wheat looking more positive but it creates an avenue for quite a good clean-up of paddocks for other specialist seed crops; creates an isolation distance between different pollinating crops; and it has a deep root system so it’s good for soil management, especially autumn planted wheat.” Our domestic crop provides 25% to 30% of New Zealand’s wheat, whether for milling and use in consumer products such as bread, baking, or pasta; or stockfeed for dairy, pork and poultry. The remainder of our wheat comes from Australia. Brian is pleased to see that our local percentage looks like increasing and hopes it continues to do so. He’d like to see it buffering supply issues, whether from global supply chain dif culties or countries at war, and helping to reduce New Zealand’s reliance on imported food products.
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