New Zealand Land Changes From A Nuffield Scholar Perspective

[Frank-the-Wool]

Interesting piece about what is happening to beef and sheep farming in NZ from Keith Woodford a Nuffield Scholar based in NZ.

Gives one confidence about the future for livestock and perhaps less concerns over the Trade Deals.

Searching for the future on the North Island hills

Some weeks back I wrote an article on New Zealand’s sheep and beef farms, focusing on the current situation. I said I would be back as there was more to discuss about both the present and the…

keithwoodford.wordpress.com

 

[Global ovine]

What I find most interesting in Prof Woodford's quoted stats is the huge area that was once developed for pastoral farming funded by Gov't cash and tax incentives but all fell down when farmers were exposed to the realities of world trade by the abolition of subsidies. Fortunately forestry has taken the place of about 40% of the land area and indigenous scrub, largely Manuka, has been the natural coloniser of the remaining 60% now earning much more than meat and wool in Manuka honey and Manuka oil. The 25% reduction in North Island hill country pastoral area has been compensated by improvements in pasture management and sheep genetics on the remaining three quarters since 1991 without any proportional loss in lamb production per ewe, so its not all bad.

But beware of Gov't funding, it's politically driven and the recipients may not be in favour from the next Gov't.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

There's a very interesting parallel to what's in progress here.

Our agricultural intensification after 1947 was government policy. It peaked around 1980 since which they've not quite known what to do. Now they want nature to take priority. It'll be very interesting to see what key parts of the UK landscape look like in 30 years time.