November 3, 2025 • 6 mins
The Minister of Finance is standing in a North Canterbury cow paddock where Kiwi ag-tech company, Āmua, has secured $1.2million from AgriZeroNZ to accelerate development of its cow wearable technology. The Canterbury start-up, based on a hill country farm near Waiau, is developing a smart device that enables the rich nitrogen in cow urine to be spread evenly as fertiliser - potentially solving freshwater nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emissions at their source.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
She is a very excited Minister of Finance or finance
minister standing in the middle of a cal patrick in
North Canbury. How does that work? Let's ask Nicola Willis Nicola,
shouldn't you be in the beehive?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Well, look so great day when I'm on farm talking
real solutions to real challenges. And today I'm celebrating new
science which is going to help reduce our farmer's emissions water,
increase their productivity and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions along
the way. So exciting, practical, positive stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now there's a bit of a veil of secrecy around
this because a kiwiag tech company, a startup company called
Moor has secured one point two million from agri Is
their own New Zealand to accelerate the development of its
cow wearable technology. And this is to try and reduce
the intensity of urine patches and use this natural fertilizer
(00:56):
God God's own fertilizer and spread it evenly around the paddock.
How does the cow work that one?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, look, this is a This totally makes sense. So
Agri zero is a partnership. It's government money and in
money from a bunch of corporates including Fronterra and the
commercial banks looking for solutions to reduce emissions on farm
and Armer had made the simple observation that a big
source of emissions is those nitrate patches that come when
(01:25):
the cow does their business. But that in that is
actually this incredible resource which if we could spread it
around the paddock, would be an awesome source of fertilizer.
So that's come up with a device. The cow wears
the device, the device senses when the cow's about to
take away, and then it spreads that we all over
the paddic instead of just going in one concentrated patch,
(01:48):
which of course means less emission to waterways, less nitrous oxide,
and a much cheaper source of fertilizer.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Now, Nicholas, there is a bit of veil of secrecy
around us because they're still going through the IP process.
But can I ask you this question, because I think
you've seen it in action and you're limited as to
what you can say. Does the cow where the device
at the front or the back end?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It's a rear end operation. And look, yeah, they are
doing a backcage because they want to make sure all
their intellectual property is protected before they go public with
the picture of the design, because actually, this is a
solution that could be worth a lot of money. This
is science and check that I think people will be
prepared to pay for if they can get it working well,
(02:34):
because it's not just about the environment. This is about productivity.
So instead of paying for fertilized I why not work
with what nature's doing.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Absolutely, and if that just sounded like a dumb question
for me, I was wondering whether it was maybe a
wearable collar. And as the cow was about to pee,
it gave it a weed tickle up or something like that,
and it sort of walked or ran a wee bit
while it was peeing, thus spreading the high concentrate nitrogen.
So it's like a wee many fertilizer spreader at the
(03:02):
back end of the cow.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, I think that's a fair way of characterizing it. Now.
Of course, it's in its early stages. So what we've
seen with these on farm technologies is the scientist comes
up with a cool idea and then they adapt it
and adapt it to make it really practical for the farmer.
So with this investment that every zero's making, they'll be
able to do those trials and chune it up so
(03:25):
that it's in a way that works for the farmer,
works for the cow, gets the best results. I imagine
it'll evolve a little along the way too.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Well. Gravity would suggest there could be other problems with
do we fertilize the spreader at the back end of
the cow?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, I think the farmer's listening. We'll be thinking through
the practical implications of this, and there's a few questions
that I think it's worth asking. And I can sure
everyone the scientist is asking himself.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Okay, while I've got you, I see you're going to
fast track what another supermarket chain into the country. Is
that right?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Well, we're it's passing law, and I've introduced the legislation
yesterday which will make it far faster for a new
SU's market competitor to get the resource content and permission
to build right now. Even if they wanted to build
a competitor to your local New World or Warworth, they
could end up in hearings and court processes literally for years.
(04:17):
That's not good enough. Key shoppers need these deals to
come to market sooner, So we're putting in place this
fast track mechanism so they can bypass all of that,
get their permission quickly and get building that competitive SU's
market to give you a better deal.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Well, the king of fast tracking is none other than
the Prince of the Provinces, the Minister for Regional Development.
I think that's his title. Mar Tour Shane Jones. Now,
it's all very well for Shane to spout off about
fast tracking things. I was reading this morning, Nikola that
less than ten percent of Shane's Provincial Growth Fund loans
have been repaid. This was just a giant lolly scramble.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, unfortunately, Shane had to work with Labor under the
last government and they weren't quite as good at managing
people's money and putting chicks and balances on things. The
good news is Shane's now working with the National Party
and that's what we specialize in. So the Regional Infrastructure
Fund which he now has, has a lot of chicks
and balances on it to make sure that we don't
(05:16):
have that sort of thing endening in future.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So you can train a cow to spread fertilizeries, eavenly
can you train Shane to spread his more evenly across
the country.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
It's a two way thing. I learned from Shane, and
I think he learned from me too.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
And one final comment on Shane's boss, Winston, did you
and him have a scrap over the Fonterra thing.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
No, No, we haven't even discussed it actually, and that's
not something we've discussed. It hasn't, of course involved any
government decision, so it's not something that's come.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
To Yeah, well Winston, why is Winston commenting on it?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Well, you have to ask him. I was able to
explain what goes on in Winston Peter's mind. I'd probably
be a well wealthy woman.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Well, you didn't have to haul Miles and again for
another scolding, did you.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
No. Look, I've always been very respectful of the role
of the shareholders and the co op. It's up for
them to assess what do they think is the best
strategy for their business. They own it, what is the
best future for their milk that creates the most value
for them, their their family, their community. And I know
that they will have taken Miles and his team through
(06:26):
the ringer checking out whether their commercial strategy makes sense.
Obviously they did that, and they decided to vote in
very big numbers for the proposal that the Fonterra exec
put forward.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Nikola Wallis, Finance Minister, standing very happily in a North
Canterbury dairy paddock. Thanks for some of your time today.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Great to be on the show.
She is a very excited Minister of Finance or finance
minister standing in the middle of a cal patrick in
North Canbury. How does that work? Let's ask Nicola Willis Nicola,
shouldn't you be in the beehive?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Well, look so great day when I'm on farm talking
real solutions to real challenges. And today I'm celebrating new
science which is going to help reduce our farmer's emissions water,
increase their productivity and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions along
the way. So exciting, practical, positive stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now there's a bit of a veil of secrecy around
this because a kiwiag tech company, a startup company called
Moor has secured one point two million from agri Is
their own New Zealand to accelerate the development of its
cow wearable technology. And this is to try and reduce
the intensity of urine patches and use this natural fertilizer
(00:56):
God God's own fertilizer and spread it evenly around the paddock.
How does the cow work that one?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah, look, this is a This totally makes sense. So
Agri zero is a partnership. It's government money and in
money from a bunch of corporates including Fronterra and the
commercial banks looking for solutions to reduce emissions on farm
and Armer had made the simple observation that a big
source of emissions is those nitrate patches that come when
(01:25):
the cow does their business. But that in that is
actually this incredible resource which if we could spread it
around the paddock, would be an awesome source of fertilizer.
So that's come up with a device. The cow wears
the device, the device senses when the cow's about to
take away, and then it spreads that we all over
the paddic instead of just going in one concentrated patch,
(01:48):
which of course means less emission to waterways, less nitrous oxide,
and a much cheaper source of fertilizer.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Now, Nicholas, there is a bit of veil of secrecy
around us because they're still going through the IP process.
But can I ask you this question, because I think
you've seen it in action and you're limited as to
what you can say. Does the cow where the device
at the front or the back end?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It's a rear end operation. And look, yeah, they are
doing a backcage because they want to make sure all
their intellectual property is protected before they go public with
the picture of the design, because actually, this is a
solution that could be worth a lot of money. This
is science and check that I think people will be
prepared to pay for if they can get it working well,
(02:34):
because it's not just about the environment. This is about productivity.
So instead of paying for fertilized I why not work
with what nature's doing.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Absolutely, and if that just sounded like a dumb question
for me, I was wondering whether it was maybe a
wearable collar. And as the cow was about to pee,
it gave it a weed tickle up or something like that,
and it sort of walked or ran a wee bit
while it was peeing, thus spreading the high concentrate nitrogen.
So it's like a wee many fertilizer spreader at the
(03:02):
back end of the cow.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, I think that's a fair way of characterizing it. Now.
Of course, it's in its early stages. So what we've
seen with these on farm technologies is the scientist comes
up with a cool idea and then they adapt it
and adapt it to make it really practical for the farmer.
So with this investment that every zero's making, they'll be
able to do those trials and chune it up so
(03:25):
that it's in a way that works for the farmer,
works for the cow, gets the best results. I imagine
it'll evolve a little along the way too.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Well. Gravity would suggest there could be other problems with
do we fertilize the spreader at the back end of
the cow?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, I think the farmer's listening. We'll be thinking through
the practical implications of this, and there's a few questions
that I think it's worth asking. And I can sure
everyone the scientist is asking himself.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Okay, while I've got you, I see you're going to
fast track what another supermarket chain into the country. Is
that right?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Well, we're it's passing law, and I've introduced the legislation
yesterday which will make it far faster for a new
SU's market competitor to get the resource content and permission
to build right now. Even if they wanted to build
a competitor to your local New World or Warworth, they
could end up in hearings and court processes literally for years.
(04:17):
That's not good enough. Key shoppers need these deals to
come to market sooner, So we're putting in place this
fast track mechanism so they can bypass all of that,
get their permission quickly and get building that competitive SU's
market to give you a better deal.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Well, the king of fast tracking is none other than
the Prince of the Provinces, the Minister for Regional Development.
I think that's his title. Mar Tour Shane Jones. Now,
it's all very well for Shane to spout off about
fast tracking things. I was reading this morning, Nikola that
less than ten percent of Shane's Provincial Growth Fund loans
have been repaid. This was just a giant lolly scramble.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, unfortunately, Shane had to work with Labor under the
last government and they weren't quite as good at managing
people's money and putting chicks and balances on things. The
good news is Shane's now working with the National Party
and that's what we specialize in. So the Regional Infrastructure
Fund which he now has, has a lot of chicks
and balances on it to make sure that we don't
(05:16):
have that sort of thing endening in future.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So you can train a cow to spread fertilizeries, eavenly
can you train Shane to spread his more evenly across
the country.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
It's a two way thing. I learned from Shane, and
I think he learned from me too.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
And one final comment on Shane's boss, Winston, did you
and him have a scrap over the Fonterra thing.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
No, No, we haven't even discussed it actually, and that's
not something we've discussed. It hasn't, of course involved any
government decision, so it's not something that's come.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
To Yeah, well Winston, why is Winston commenting on it?
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Well, you have to ask him. I was able to
explain what goes on in Winston Peter's mind. I'd probably
be a well wealthy woman.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Well, you didn't have to haul Miles and again for
another scolding, did you.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
No. Look, I've always been very respectful of the role
of the shareholders and the co op. It's up for
them to assess what do they think is the best
strategy for their business. They own it, what is the
best future for their milk that creates the most value
for them, their their family, their community. And I know
that they will have taken Miles and his team through
(06:26):
the ringer checking out whether their commercial strategy makes sense.
Obviously they did that, and they decided to vote in
very big numbers for the proposal that the Fonterra exec
put forward.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Nikola Wallis, Finance Minister, standing very happily in a North
Canterbury dairy paddock. Thanks for some of your time today.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Great to be on the show.
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