22 | Phil Weir was one of ve talented Kiwi farmers announced as a recipient of the highly coveted Nuf eld Scholarship for 2020. While Covid interrupted study and overseas research that would typically go with the scholarship, Phil resumed study 2021 without the bene t of research abroad. Phil’s overarching research question was whether the structure of New Zealand’s farming industry bodies restricted achievement of a collaborative food and bre vision or strategy. “I looked at whether the structures of those organisations that work on the collective behalf of farmers was t for purpose or outdated, and whether or not they created silos that may or may not restrict New Zealand land managers to achieve their goals.” During Phil’s research he found that regardless of the sector farmers belonged to, they increasingly saw themselves as land managers, while the levies they paid were sector based. Phil’s research included comparisons with the UK’s Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and National Farmers Union (NFU), which champions British agriculture/horticulture, and is frequently touted as a suitable alternative to New Zealand’s industry bodies such as Federated Farmers, NZ Dairy and Beef + Lamb. Peak/advocacy organisations such as the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions was looked at, as was the Government’s proposed centralisation of services such as Three-Waters. “The aim was to draw case studies together, along with some theory, and consider how we’re doing in New Zealand and what the research ndings and recommendations might be. I spent quite a bit of time with Beef + Lamb, doing what might be considered an internship to gain an understanding of what they did and how it worked. I also did about 40 interviews with primary sector leaders.” While Phil is yet to present his ndings, and is still working through the detail of some of his research, he suggests New Zealand’s system is good in the sense that the levy bodies operate in a way that meets a number of existing sector criteria. “While membership of Federated Farmers is voluntary, NZ dairy and Beef + Lamb is compulsory. The way legislation is constructed bodies like Beef + Lamb and NZ Dairy are mandated to serve the production type they are funded by. Nuf eld Scholar ponders the big questions “I looked at whether the structures of those organisations that work on the collective behalf of farmers was t for purpose or outdated.” RURAL PEOPLE » Phil Weir Nuf eld Scholar Phil Weir on the land with his cattle. www.langmancontractingltd.co.nz We are proud to support Phil, and wish him well in his future endeavours Phone: 07 872 6444 Fax: 07 872 6446 Email: info@gfa.co.nz Website: www.gfa.co.nz Working together to achieve your goals. But the individual sector bodies might not be best placed to deal with some of the big issues faced by farmers, including climate change and land use diversi cation. Richard Loader The way farming businesses have diversi ed means farmers are paying to a range of levy bodies, which creates silos. With funding aligned with sectors it makes it dif cult for MPI to implement its ‘Fit for a Better World’ strategies’. We don’t seem to have the underlying structures that enable that to be effectively implemented.” Phil says while there is a lot that is right about the existing organisations and his research hasn’t recommended the replacement or merger of any existing levy body, some of the functions of the organisations could be consolidated. “R&D into how animals behave or perform is common across the sectors whether they give milk, meat or wool, and attracting talent is something else that can be done universally. It needs to go beyond collaboration, because collaboration is time consuming and costly. There needs to be investment into the underpinning systems, which could include a new operating entity sitting across the top. There are differences in the sectors as to how they might view land use, management and the environment and a level of independence needs to be maintained.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=