Comedian and guest presenter of The Project, Josh Thomson, has been won over by a dung-eating critter.
The dung beetle is being hailed as a natural answer to rebalancing the environmental impact of livestock.
- Dung-eating beetles to help keep farms healthy
- Government releases plans to improve water quality by 2020
They tunnel through soil and bury livestock dung, which aerates soil, improves the nutrient cycle and helps manage water absorption and dispersion.
Fifty-thousand are being offered to famers in the Wellington region this weekend, as part of an initiative to introduce them to farms across the country.
Josh Thomson visited Dung Beetle Innovations, who produce the beetles, where director Shaun Forgie told him the beetles have a lot to offer.
"We have planting, we have fencing and now we have the dung beetles to help solve things at the source on the pasture," he said.
He believes the beetles could make a huge difference to our environment.
"This is a natural process, and if we can improve water quality sustainably, then we can make a significant improvement quickly," said Mr Forgie.
"It is the cheapest, most cost effect and sustainable solution out there - and if the Government and regional councils got on board, we would reach our goal of improving water quality by 2040," he said.
Josh Thomson was clearly impressed.
"They are incredible," he said.
"They burrow, they take the poo all the way down, they aerate the soil - I am backing them 100 percent."
Newshub.
