KIWI RESEARCHERS TO LOOK AT SEAWEED
New Zealand is spearheading an
international research project to
use biology to convert an invasive
species of seaweed into fish food
and organic fertiliser. A consortium
of top international universities and
businesses has been granted $6.1
million to develop a new technology
which aims to create several new
products for the global farming
and aquaculture industries. When
fully developed this project has the
potential to save millions of tons of
wild caught fish, which is currently
being used to feed farmed fish
such as salmon. Innovation leader
in New Zealand organic fertilisers
and crop protection products,
Waikaitu, will be tasked with
commercialising the technology
for use in creating cleaner alternatives
in conventional fertilisers
that cause leaching of nitrates into
soils and ground water. Waikaitu
chief executive Alex Pressman
says with concern growing over
the use of fertiliser and high nitrate
levels in our soils, more people are
looking for cleaner alternatives.
“This research will dramatically
improve productivity of organic
fertiliser and reduce over-reliance
on chemical plant nutrition methods
that have significant environmental
impacts on our planet,” he says.
Scientific research has revealed
that symbiotic microbes discovered
in the stomach of New Zealand
seaweed-eating fishes convert
seaweed and atmospheric nitrogen
into compounds of nutritional value
to fish. These microbes provide an
important source of dietary protein
to the fish and will make it possible
to greatly reduce or eliminate wild
caught fish as an ingredient in fish
food. Fish food giant Ridley Aquafeeds
in Australia is a key member
of the consortium with a goal to
create sustainable and environmentally
sensitive fish production.
The new technology will take a
problematic seaweed and use it to
solve some of the world’s largest
problems – such as agricultural
runoff pollution and the need for
sustainable feed sources for farmed
fish. Organisations involved in the
project are University of Auckland,
AUT, University of Canberra, Cornell
University, Callaghan Innovation,
P&S Seaweed, Enviroflight, Kampachi
Farms and Ridley Aquafeeds.
PACKAGING AND PROCESSING
AWARDS REINSTATED
Applications are now open for the national programme,
which identifies excellence, leadership
and best practice in Australia and New Zealand’s
processing and packaging industry. APPMA
chairman Mark Dingley says there are many benefits
to entering, both for individuals and companies.
“Finalists and winners will be recognised
as industry leaders, which is a great way to raise
business profile within our industry and outside
our industry to potential customers and investors.”
The association is excited by the return of
the awards, which are a Packaging and Processing
Week initiative as part of AUSPACK 2019.
Finalists and winners will have an opportunity to
showcase their product on the AUSPACK show
floor. “Along with reinstating the APPMA Awards
of Excellence, we’ll also transition to a formal
Gala Awards Ceremony dinner to announce the
finalists and winners and celebrate their achievements
as a whole industry,” Dingley says. Applications
are now open for all five award categories:
Best New Product, Customer Collaboration
Award, Design Innovation Award, Export Success
Award and Imported Equipment Award. “Going
through the actual entry process offers businesses
a fantastic benchmarking opportunity to review
their processes and practices, which they’ll
then receive feedback on from the judges, as
well as industry peers and authorities. We know
past finalists and winners have valued this expert,
arm’s-length critique as a ‘set of fresh eyes’
to what’s working well, along with improvements
that can be made. Compiling the submission is
also a great way to motivate and energise people
in the business, as everyone is focused on the
innovations and successes to which they’ve all
contributed. The Gala Awards Ceremony is the
ideal opportunity to then network with industry
leaders and sponsors.” Finalists and winners will
all have excellent promotional opportunities in
industry publications and on the APPMA website,
and can benefit from using the ‘APPMA Awards
of Excellence’ winner or finalist logo to promote
themselves as an award-winning business. “The
association owns AUSPACK, so the 2019 event is
the perfect time to reinstate the APPMA Awards
of Excellence. As we count down until March
26 to 29, we will be announcing even more new
initiatives at the Southern Hemisphere’s leading
processing and packaging trade event.” Entries
close on January 26, finalists announced on
February 20 and the Gala Awards Ceremony will
be held on March 27.
www.auspack.com.au/awards.
Popular packaging and processing
machinery awards of excellence
will return next year, with the Australian
Packaging and Processing
Machinery Association reinstating
its excellence awards to seek out
and recognise industry innovation
and outstanding performers.
38 NOVEMBER 2018
/awards
