Programme involves environment plan

01-09-2010 | Not Specified

Even though the farm isn't steep, the winter wet and clay soils combine to create some erosion.

As part of the Marks & Spencer programme, the Morrahs have recently completed a land environment plan from Beef + Lamb New Zealand which has been beneficial.

They are also part of a local Landcare group which is working on best practices for dryland farming and how to adapt summer dry farms into drought-tolerant farms.

This includes some experimental work on their farm this year: A small block of the fodder crop saltbush is being planted on poor, less productive country, and a cricket study is under way.

Another thing they have done as part of the Marks & Spencer programme is to join up with AgRecovery. Nothing is going into a landfill on the farm.

Sam is enthusiastic about AgRecovery: "It doesn't cost anything to do, it gets rid of plastic drench drums, cleans out the shed, and helps with recording what is on hand."

They use a refuse service from Waipukurau, and don't burn any inorganic waste on the farm.

"It's something probably every farmer should be doing regardless of whether the customer requires it or not."

While they describe the farm as "customer centric", or producing an end product customers want, Sam says many farmers are doing the same sorts of things, only they don't know the end destination of their product.

He is part of the Marks & Spencer working group of seven suppliers who meet every three months. They represent the 46 farmers in the Marks & Spencer programme.

"We are pushing for more transparency between the three parties: Suppliers, Silver Fern Farms and Marks and Spencer."

This supply group is not perfect yet, but it is a good example of an integrated supply programme working, he says. And it's where Silver Fern Farms wants to go with its suppliers.

"Choosing to supply Marks & Spencer was not all about getting paid more than everybody else for our lamb."

Integrated supply is the way of the future, Sam says. "By choosing to be involved we are setting our business up for customer focused lamb production into the future," he says.

"Sure, there are costs associated with producing lamb to required specifications, but we are able to work closely with Silver Fern Farms and Marks & Spencer to ensure that those costs are returned to us through the price that we are paid.

"We can then establish how we can add value to our lamb so that we receive a price greater than our cost of production.

"How many farmers can say they are actively communicating with their meat processor helping to establish the best possible price, and how many can say they are communicating with the customer? Not many I would think.

"Silver Fern Farms is consistently saying there needs to be a change in farmers' and meat company strategy around how we are supplying or the industry will continue to decline.

"If we as the younger generation of farmers don't make a change to the way we do business, then who will? We will all be complaining about the same thing in 10 years.

"We have changed our way of thinking and are hoping many farmers will follow suit. If farmers wait for a financial incentive before they shift, then it will never happen. The product, supply and end market need to be established first."

The next focus for Sam and Hannah is to run Farmax. They spent their £1000 prize on a new laptop so they can run the computer software programme.

That will help them quantify their costs of production consistently, and also help with pasture management and forward planning feed.

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