| 79 RURAL SERVICES » Natural Performance Jono and Greer at top of Mt Mania after running a workshop in Waikato. A New Zealand based company is helping farmers from around the country – and the globe – to move into a more resilient farming model that is more profitable and elevates soil health. Natural Performance was started in 2018 by Jono Frew who had spent a long career in conventional agriculture, specialising in dairy and then in chemical agronomy. In 2015, he was offered an opportunity to manage an organic mixed cropping sheep and beef property in Leeston, which opened his eyes to other approaches to farming. “(Back then) I knew how to run farms and get high production with chemical inputs, but I didn’t know a thing about organics or regenerative.” He learnt to farm without chemicals, and realised he’d been “treating symptoms rather than root causes, and wondering why it all wasn’t working”. “I discovered we could farm in ways that aligned with nature.” After learning more about regenerative farming and seeing it in action, he decided to form a discussion group that later became known as Quorum Sense. Quorum Sense is now a charitable trust that brings farmers together to share knowledge and experiences about biological and regenerative farming. “There is very little information out there, and very little direct support (from anyone),” Jono said. “I decided to be that person.” “I was seeing that the more inputs being used on farm, the more inputs that were needing to continue being used – what I call the ‘more-on’ mentality.” He quickly realised there were a lot of people out there interested in doing things differently. Natural Performance now has three coaches - Jono, Jake, and Greer - based around the country. T hey are starting to see interest from overseas in Australia, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. They work closely with each client to find opportunities and solutions unique to their environment. “There is nothing generic about farming. Everything is unique, so we need to have services that are adaptable to the variability and diversity out there.” Their services include coaching, workshops and field days, bio stimulants such as microbial inoculants through EMNZ and Southern Humate products, and diverse seed mixes through Symbiosis. While Natural Performance is his main focus, Jono recently took on an equity partnership and management opportunity with his partner Ruby on a 2800ha dryland property near Kurow. He wants farmers to know they have power to choose what happens on their farms and get away from the dependence on chemical inputs. “It’s breaking free of the rat wheel.” Of all the clients approaching him, most were wanting to save costs by farming in a more sustainable way. “People get sick of doing the same old thing over and over. They’re actually hungry for new and exciting ways of farming.” He is working with a diverse range of farms, which is basically “anyone with soil”. “Helping farmers reach new levels of profitability, resilience, health and peace of mind. “We love seeing farmers re-ignite the spark in their lives on and off farm.” Rosa Watson Jono (far right) and Greer speaking with a discussion group in a maize replacement crop. Sharing a passion for a better way of farming Natural Performance Ltd Proud to be Associated with EM will improve yield and performance in agriculture through enhancing soil biological activity and fertiliser inputs. EMNZ proudly supports Natural Performance Ltd P. 03 374 6323 E. paul@emnz.co.nz W. www.emnz.com
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