The progessive farmer working to raise awareness about how to future proof New Zealand farms

Bay of Plenty farmer Rick Burke says many in the agriculture industry don't deserve the bad reputation the sector is often labelled with.

Rather, he says, some farmers are doing their best to help fight climate change.

"New Zealand gets lumped in with the rest of the world but in New Zealand we've got a unique story to tell," he told The Project.

"It's more of an awareness thing we want to create with our urban cousins."

He says the sheep and beef sector have reduced their carbon emissions by 30 percent since 1990, while on his own farm emissions have dropped 60 percent since 1998.

He's done that by creating smaller but more efficient grazing areas, while at the same time doing something rather unusual in the farming world- giving chunks of his land back to nature.

The Project went to have a closer look at his farm.

Watch the full video.

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