In association with New Zealand-based corporation EcoCover International, Challenge will today receive shipment of a special machine that could soon change the face of crop farming as we know it.

“Ten years ago a fellow named Murray Cruickshank saw an Australian idea to put shredded paper between two layers of tissue around fruit trees,” EcoCover International’s operations manager Scott Milne said.

“It took us eight years, but we now have a machine that can make this eco mulch mat.”

The mat is a 100 per cent biodegradable product made of predominantly recycled paper.

Eliminating weeds without the need for herbicides, the mulch mat retains up to 80 per cent of the soil’s moisture, thus reducing watering requirements for plant establishment and growth.

“For years people have used black plastic for this purpose, which most of them hated,” Mr Milne said.

“This is a viable alternative, it’s cost effective and environmentally beneficial and can result in a 40 per cent increase in productivity.”

For Coffs Harbour Challenge, the chance to be the first business in the world to make such a product was an opportunity that couldn’t be passed up.

The business has spent the past 50 years assisting people with a disability to achieve positive outcomes in their lives.

“We were set up to create opportunities for people with disabilities to better participate in the community,” Challenge general manager Ian Wade said.

“Be it by giving them better self confidence, employment opportunities or through increased independence.”

The Challenge now owns a number of businesses in the Coffs Harbour area, including ironing service Pressing Matters, Greaseaters, an automotive parts cleaning business and the Challenge Business Service Centre in Keona Circuit, which provides secure document destruction, mail out services and light manufacturing work.