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6th March 20167115837AB

MIRRORCentral Otago

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Worm farmerhas effluentsolutionJO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN

Robbie Dick, of Central Wormworx Ltdin Cromwell, says produce from hisgarden is proof his worm castingfertiliser is a high quality product andsustainable option for dairy farmersto treat effluent. However, he isseeking funding to carry out scientifictesting to prove its value.

PHOTO: JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN

‘‘It is the same aswhat has been usedfor centuries – theway nature hasdone it – just on acommercial basis.’’Robbie Dick

Central Otago worm farmerRobbie Dick plans to get his wormcastings from cow effluent scien-tifically tested to prove todoubters the end product is worththe investment.

Dick is in the early stages ofputting a proposal together toapply for funding to support scien-tific testing of the worm castingsfrom piles of cow effluent takenfrom two Southland dairy farms.

‘‘We would like to get funds toprove to farmers we have got agood product.

‘‘It is the same as what hasbeen used for centuries – the waynature has done it – just on a com-mercial basis.

‘‘We are putting a proposaltogether to show this is the bestway to eliminate a lot of the efflu-ent.

‘‘If winter shed effluent iscleaned out on a daily basis andthe product is de-watered – that isa lot better than sitting in pondswhere it goes anaerobic and thereis a strong risk if it gets into thewaterways of doing a lot moreharm.’’

His long-term vision was to seedairy farmers processing effluentusing worms on their own proper-ties, and they would be able to usethe end, toxin-free and

sustainable product, on theircrops.

Central Otago REAPSustainable Living program co-ordinator Clair Higginson saidthe worm farmer was passionateabout tiger worms’ ability to pro-cess food and farm waste and tothen use the product as chemicaland toxin free fertiliser.

‘‘What Robbie needs at themoment is some hard data.

‘‘Evidence that will convincescience minded potential usersthat the project would improvetheir feedstock. Then evidencethat the economics of it stack up.

‘‘That’s why it’s important toget this work done.’’

Mossburn farmer John Langsaid he had supplied Dick witheffluent from his dairy farm forthe past year.

‘‘It is a commercial thing ...there is definitely a market forRobbie’s product.’’

Worm orders were coming infrom around the country, includ-ing a company in the North Islandthat was freighted 80kgs of wormslast week to treat organic waste.

There was also an increasingdemand for worms to treat humanwaste from composting toilets, hesaid.

‘‘I get about four or fiveplumbers in a week wanting 12kilos of worms when they areinstalling composting toilets.’’

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