From The Soil Up Podcast

In this episode, I share my panel from the 2026 Underground Festival on Ecosystem Payments. I bring together leading voices in New Zealand’s emerging ecosystem markets to unpack what ecosystem payments really mean for farmers and landowners both today and into the future.

I'm joined by Sean Weaver (Ekos), Tim Booth (Tamata Hauhā), and Renee Raroa (East Coast Exchange / Toha), this panel dives deep into the opportunities, challenges, and realities of getting paid for ecosystem outcomes.

Please note there are plenty of crowd questions in this session so there may be questions that are hard to hear at times. 

 

https://www.undergroundfestival.co.nz/

In this episode of From the Soil Up Podcast, I speak with Hamish Gow and three of the students involved in the Ag Innovation Challenge about their ideas to solve issues currently facing the agricultural industry.

The Challenge is put together by Lincoln University and Ballance Agri Nutrients with support from the Ministry for Primary Industries' Future Ready Farms programme, and is open to first-year students enrolled in the university’s undergraduate Primary Industry Systems course.

This is a fantastic opportunity to foster the next generation of Ag entrepreneurs so I'm excited to share their ideas and plans for the future.

In this episode of the From the Soil Up Podcast, Conan chats to Emily House about her expertise on plant nutrition, soil health, and their direct impact on livestock performance. Discover how mineral balance, pasture diversity, and soil testing can optimize farm productivity and animal health.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-house-59980149/

In this episode, Tony Evans from Camperdown Compost shares insights on regenerative farming, composting, and systems thinking for soil health and farm productivity. Learn how to integrate compost, manage wet conditions, and optimize nutrient cycling for sustainable agriculture.

https://camperdowncompost.com.au/

In this episode of the From the Soil Up podcast, Conan speaks with Paul Daly from EMNZ about the critical role of soil biology in agriculture. They discuss the importance of microbial diversity, the evolution of EM technology, and the challenges faced in promoting biological solutions in farming. Paul shares insights on how EM can enhance soil health, improve nutrient access for plants, and its applications in waste management and effluent treatment.

https://www.emnz.com/