Future Pathways for New Zealand Hill Country Farming

A supplementary publication of the Hill Country Symposium Grassland Research and Practice Series No. 16

Abstract

Hill country farming contributes significantly to New Zealand’s economy and regional communities. It is the nursery of our red meat industry; comprises 70% of our pastoral area and stewards 5.6m ha of land and associated fresh water catchments. However, dwindling investment and services will not sustain viable farm businesses and communities in the future. Hill land must continue to be both an attractive home to rural New Zealanders and a productive, environmentally acceptable contributor to national welfare. This can only be achieved through clear, consistent vision and planning supported by central and regional government as well as the industry itself. A central government Standing Committee for hill lands and associate rural communities should be established.
Hill country families must be well connected locally, nationally and globally if they are to deal with future changes. Better connectivity for this sector is the responsibility of both individuals and regional/central government.
Programmes which motivate and give confidence to individual hill country farmers to implement change will be most effective. Accelerating practice change in hill country farming must be achieved by the Red Meat Profit Partnership programme.
Improved long-term profitability, knowledge and skills are required if current best management practices are to be more widely adopted. Research institutions, commercial companies and industry organisations need to collaborate more closely in developing and adopting new practices and technologies.
New value chains which deliver to customer specifications are expected to lead to improved profitability on-farm. Case studies demonstrating such gains should be documented and disseminated by processors and exporters.
Evidence is urgently needed to demonstrate the impact of farm system change on business and environmental performance. Beef + Lamb NZ needs to strengthen its technical capacity to support future environmental negotiations and associated changes in farm practices.
New innovations are required to realise the full potential of hill land resources. R&D relevant to hill country farming must be reinvigorated and guided by a cohesive, forward looking R&D strategy led by Beef + Lamb NZ.