With almost every region and market affected by unprecedented challenges, times are tough for the rural sector, says Animal and Plant Health NZ President Gavin Kerr.
“It’s quite scary, and the rest of 2023 doesn't look any less challenging.”
Speaking at the organisation’s recent conference in Nelson, Kerr noted the weather, supply chain, employment and inflation issues that farmers and growers nationwide are experiencing. “The importance of agility in our response and then adaption to change has never been more important.”
His remarks first acknowledged the people impacted by the devastating weather events, particularly Cyclone Gabrielle. “Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected, especially the people of Bay of Plenty and Gisborne. I encourage and support the continued efforts to help rebuild the lives and livelihoods of these communities, including those by our member organisations.”
“If 2022 and the start of 2023 have taught us anything, it’s the importance of resilience,” says Kerr, also Nufarm NZ’s Country Manager. These challenges are on top of the existing perception bias affecting the sector.
“We’ve seen the uprising of pseudo-scientists getting airtime and driving the public debate.” He emphasises the importance of actual science for decisions concerning the food we eat and notes that the organisation will continue to lobby for regulatory change. “Industry needs to get science back in the room”.
Crop protection and animal health products play a vital role in global food production – by supporting farmers and growers to produce high-quality food for niche markets. These consumers are concerned about sustainability, animal welfare and their wellbeing. As part of this, Kerr emphasises the importance of telling our farming story “to allow consumers to understand the journey of their food, as we improve our connection to consumers”.
“Making sure we are customer-centric and receptive to their needs is essential,” he adds.
Kerr says the industry’s role in producing food for the global market means it must be mindful that all its eggs are not in one basket.
“The potential shift away from China as European opportunities open due to constraints applied to local producers” is one example, he says.
Another key challenge is a lack of young people choosing to study agriculture at New Zealand universities or even choosing agriculture as a career path.
“As we all know, there simply aren’t enough people to keep up with industry demand. The role we can play as an industry is to highlight the opportunities in agriculture and the value it brings to us and our country.”
He says Animal and Plant Health NZ is discussing the potential for internships within companies, the importance of scholarships, and how the industry can tell its story more effectively to attract the next generation to help agriculture.
