Farmers considering change of approach

08-09-2010 | Mary Ralston

It's never too late to change - even for middle-aged male pastoral farmers.

This is one observation that can be taken from the results of the 2008 Farmer Attitude and Opinion Survey conducted by the Agriculture Research Group On Sustainability (ARGOS).

More than two-thirds of survey respondents, who had an average age of 57, indicated that they were considering the option of changing from conventional farming to integrated management, or modified conventional management, within the next 10 years.

Integrated farming is a management system where the farmer produces to a certain standard. Often there are limits to some inputs such as pesticides or drenches, and the farm may be audited by the owners of the "brand" or production system. Examples of integrated management systems are KiwiGreen (for kiwifruit), Sustainable Winegrowers New Zealand, and Avo Green for avocado orchards.

The increased interest in alternative or non-conventional management systems also extended to organic farming although not to the same extent as integrated farming. Ten percent of respondents intended to become certified organic within the next 10 years and 23% said they intended to use some organic practices but not to become certified organic.

Farmers considering changing to integrated or modified conventional management believed these systems offered improvements in terms of farm production and personal satisfaction. They saw that it would allow them to produce a higher quality product which offered a price premium and would give them better market access, provide a higher level of challenge, and give a greater sense of satisfaction. They also thought it would be better for the environment.

Perceived barriers to changing to organic farming were the farmers' lack of experience with organic methods, the untidy appearance and low production yields of organic farms, and the prohibition against certain fertiliser and chemical inputs.

Dr John Fairweather, of Lincoln University, lead author of the survey report, said there was growing emphasis on verified or audited production in most of New Zealand's agricultural export sectors.

"Most of these production schemes such as KiwiGreen require farmers to monitor their crops so that chemical inputs are reduced, and to use what the customer perceives are environmentally friendly and sustainable practices. Given that the survey results indicate a willingness to change to these types of systems, there may be a general trend towards more use of these schemes in New Zealand."

Some of the integrated management schemes have been established within NZ and others are global certification systems, but all have the aim of positioning the end product in a more favourable place in the market.

For instance, GLOBALG.A.P. sets standards for the certification of agricultural and aquaculture products around the world. Products that meet the standard are produced on farms with reduced chemical inputs, good animal welfare practices and attention to worker health and safety.

Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand is a NZ initiative aimed at protecting the "clean-green" image of NZ by developing standards of best environmental practice against which vineyards and wineries can be audited. As well as aiming for long-term sustainability they are also positioning the wine to meet customer expectations of a sustainably produced, low chemical residue product.

The ARGOS survey also asked opinions on farm plans, emissions trading, and water and irrigation. Farmers considered that increased irrigation came with potential problems, such as depletion of aquifers and changes to the availability and quality of water in streams and rivers.

On emissions trading, farmers felt they were being asked to assume more than their fair share of responsibility and wished to take responsibility only to the same degree as farmers elsewhere. A group of farmers did accept climate change and farmers' role in it, and younger farmers were less adamant about the unfairness of an emissions trading policy. Farmers with a university education were more likely to disagree with the statement that "farmers do not contribute to climate change".

The high average age of NZ farmers is often seen as a barrier to change to more environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. The survey report's authors note that this is not necessarily the case - older farmers may be more financially comfortable and less concerned with an emphasis on production, and therefore in a better position to pay attention to the farm environment and sustainable practices.

The survey is one part of the ARGOS research on conventional, integrated and organic farms in NZ. The research has the aim of examining the environmental, social and economic sustainability of NZ farming systems.

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