LIFT - Livestock Innovation Farming Transformation
A national programme designed to demonstrate the potential of virtual fencing enabled sheep and beef systems
Change is coming to agriculture. LIFT is exploring what that means on the ground.
The Livestock Innovation Farming Transformation (LIFT) programme brings together a network of commercial sheep and beef farms to investigate how technology-enabled farming systems perform in the real world. Working across a diverse range of landscapes, climates and farming businesses, the programme is building an evidence base that can help farmers and industry navigate an increasingly complex future.
At its heart, LIFT is about learning. Learning what works, what doesn't, and why. Learning how new technologies influence productivity, environmental outcomes, animal management and farmer wellbeing. And learning how innovation can be applied in practical ways that make sense for New Zealand farming businesses.
The programme combines on-farm monitoring, thorough analysis and farmer experience to create a richer understanding of change than any one source could provide alone. By bringing together farmers, experts, technology providers and industry partners, LIFT is creating an environment where ideas can be tested, challenged and improved.
The knowledge generated through LIFT belongs to more than just the farms involved. Through field days, events, publications and ongoing communication, insights are shared with the wider sector so that everyone can benefit from the learning. The result is a growing body of evidence that can support better decisions, stimulate discussion and help shape the future of New Zealand sheep and beef farming.
Integrating virtual fencing enabled, rotational grazing systems into hill country sheep and beef farms has the potential to add $500 million per year in farm‑gate returns and an export value uplift of $1.25 billion by 2036. The LIFT programme is designed to help farmers realise those benefits.
LIFT is a partnership between the Sheep and Beef sector and MPI who co-invest in LIFT through the Primary Sector Growth Fund
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“Virtual fencing could be one of the most significant farm management innovations we've seen in a generation.”
