farming more sustainably...sam mcivor (b + lnz annual report 2015-16) “dairy farmers are spending...

FarmingMoreSustainablywhatcanwedobetterand

whocanhelp?

KarenWilliams- 4April2017

• 224haofflatalluvialsilts

• 2.8kmsadjoiningRuamahangaRiver

• 2farmingsystemso croppingo livestockfinishing

• Crops:barley,wheatSeeds:redclover,ryegrass,coriander- NOpeas

• Capacitytoirrigateupto160ha

AhiaruheFarm


3keyareas:

• Soilmanagement

• Watermanagement(quantityandquality)

• Biodiversityenhancement


Soilmanagement

Machinerypolicy

o directdrill,nocultivationofsoil

o trackedharvester

Stockpolicy

o bullswinteredoffcroppinglandandsoldbefore2nd winter

o lowstockingratesoftradelambs,localsupply



Gridsoilsampling

• RuamahangaRiverandallstreamsfenced

• Extensiveriparianplanting


Biodiversityenhancement


• 2hectares• Infillplanting• Pestmanagement

Buildingbetterbiodiversity

oncroppingfarms

• 3yearSFF/FARprojecttoimprovetheproductivity andsustainability ofarablefarms

• Projectmonitoredbeneficialinsecttypesandnumbersinon-farmhabitat

• Beneficialinsectscancontrolpestspeciesandpollinatecropsforfree!

• Outcomes:– improvefarmproductivity– enhancefarmhabitat– reducerelianceonagri-chemicals

andexternalpollinationforcrops

EngagementonFarm

• Communityplantingdays• Hostregulatorsonfarm

(MPI,GW,CDC)• BFEAfieldday• NuffieldScholars


Whydowedowhatwedo?

AhiaruheFarmPhilosophy:

Webelieveweliveandworkinareallyspecialplaceandthatwehavearesponsibilitytolookafterit.Whilstourvisionistogrowasuccessfulbusiness,thiswillbeachievedwhilemaintainingthehighqualityofoursoils,improving

thequalityoffreshwaterandthroughcontinuedhabitat

enhancement.

Wewishtoundertakeourfamingbusinessinahappyandrewardingenvironment,forourselves,ourfamilyandstaff,andtofostergoodrelationshipswithcontractors,neighboursandthecommunity.Wehopeourchildrenwillcontinuethisphilosophyinthefuture.


Whyismakingaprofitvital?


• Growhighqualityfood• Minimiseenvironmentalimpact– precisionagriculture&machinery– retiringland– lowstockingrates– monitoring

• Supportlocalcommunity,businessesandcontractors

• Employmorestaff

Profitability Environmental

Sustainability

Ifwecanviewprofitabilityasan“enabler”ofenvironmentalsustainability,itwillhelpfostermorepositivecommunitydiscussionsaroundimprovedfarmingpracticeandenvironmentaloutcomes


Communityflowoneffects

“ForeverydollarofFOB(freeonboard)salesfromourindustryanotherdollargoesintoourruraltownsandoururbancities”

SamMcIvor(B+LNZAnnualReport2015-16)

“Dairy farmers are spending $12.2 billion on goods and services within their communities to support their operations”

Rural News (March 7 2017)

“NZIER found irrigation contributes $2.2 billion to the national economy”

Minister of Local Government (Irrigation NZ News, Summer 2016)


ProfitableandSustainableFarming–

ChallengesandOpportunities

• Theglobalsustainabilityagenda• Regulation• Engagementandconsultation• Communityownershipofenvironmentalchallenges

• Negativeperceptions• Futureleadership• Developingmoreresilientmarkets• Precisionagriculture- affordabilityandcapability


Theglobalsustainabilityagenda

“thechallengeofmeetingtheworld’sgrowingdemandforfood,whilstreducingagriculture’secologicalfootprint,andsustainablymanagingearth’sscarcenatural

resources (inparticularlandandwater)...whilstmaintainingaviablebusiness”.Source:SustainableReturns- FindingtheValueinEnvironmentalSustainability”Rabobank AgribusinessReport,Special

Edition


Regulation

• Requiredbystatute• Anecessary“stick”approachforsome

• Betteroutcomesformostwitha“carrot”approach


Localrulesofconcern

• Nutrientallocation• Waterallocation• Legitimatefarmingeffects• Farmingbyresourceconsent


Engagementandconsultation


TeKāuru Upper

Ruamahanga

RiverFloodplain

Management

Subcommittee

Engagingwithfarmers

“Asknotwhatyourfarmercandoforyoubutwhatyoucandoforyourfarmer”



“Whole”communityownershipof

environmentalproblems

GreaterWellingtonrecognisestheneed

forwholecommunitysolutions

“Withoutbuy-infromalltheinterestsinlocalcommunitiesitisveryhardtogetlastingagreementsonhowtomanagefreshwaterissues.”

“It’salsofundamentallyimportanttounderstandthatthequalityofwaterinstreamsandriversisnotjust

theresultoffarmingpractices.Urbancontaminationisalsoamajorcontributorandtheprogrammesofactionwillbeamixofurbanandruralactions.”

PressreleaseaboutNZ’senvironmentalperformancebyChrisLaidlaw,ChairoftheGWRC,postedon22March2017



Correctingperceptions

• Encouragefairandinformeddebate

• Resilientcommunitiesneedcitizensthatcontributetoallaspectsofourwellbeing:o Environmentalo Economico Socialo Cultural

Wordoftheyear2016

Post-truthmeans:

“relatingtoordenotingcircumstancesinwhichobjectivefactsarelessinfluential inshapingpublicopinionthanappealstoemotionandpersonalbelief”.


Bediscerningofthetruth

• “ToxicalgaeinMasterton’sWaipouaRiverislikelycausedbyfarming”WTA25/1/17

• GWscientiststatesitisacomplexissuewithanumberofdriversbehindalgalgrowth.Moreresearchtobedone.


Capabilityforchange

• Greatleadershiprequiredforchangestogreatersustainability

• Targetthebestandbrightestinschools

• Scholarships• Farmkidsinpolicydevelopmentroles


Developmoreresilientmarkets

• HugepotentialgrowthinNZmarket

• Sell“our”story• Mandatorylabellingof

ingredients• Consumerdemandfor

sustainablygrownfood• WairarapaCroppingStrategy

Source:TheSustainabilityImperative- NewInsightsinConsumerExpectations,Nielsen,October2015


Precisionagriculture

• Affordabilityandcapability• Yieldmapping• Selfsteertractors• Variablerateirrigation• Satelliteordroneimagery• Self-propelledtractors


Yieldmapping• Measuringandmapping

overtimeofparameterssuchascropyield,moistureandelevation

• Createsmapsthatenableuserstovarytheamountofseed,water,fertiliser,nutrients,pesticidesandherbicidesthatareappliedwithin eachpaddock

• Providesopportunitiesfordecisionmakingonasub-paddocklevel

• Environmentalandeconomicwin:win


Selfpropelledtractors


Thefutureoffarmingforanoptimist



Themorelikelyreality!

Sustainablecommunitiestogether


farming more sustainably...sam mcivor (b + lnz annual report 2015-16) “dairy farmers are spending...

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