MOU a significant milestone
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Lincoln University and Ballance Agri-Nutrients is being hailed as a significant milestone.
A Lincoln University researcher investigating the role of intuition in farmers’ decisionmaking has had his work published in a scientific journal and as a novel.
Dr Peter Nuthall and Dr Kevin Old, from the department of land management and systems, have been examining how farmers make their decisions, the role intuition plays and how it can be improved.
Their analysis of farmers’ intuitive decisionmaking is published in Journal of Rural Studies (‘Intuition, the farmers’ primary decision method. A review and analysis’), and Nuthall has published a novel on the same theme.
His novel, The Intuitive Farmer: Inspiring Management Success, tells of a group of farmers who meet to discuss management challenges and skills associated with intuition. Guided by meeting facilitators, the farmers sort out each other’s decision problems, learning and taking on board the lessons. And a new novel will guide farmers through the process of modifying their management style.
The book is available through most international online book sellers, including its publisher 5M.
Nuthall and Old gathered data from at least 700 farmers.
“Farmer intuition has never been analysed to this extent before,” said Nuthall.
The research showed that farmers base most decisions on their intuition. They do not formally analyse each decision but use their mental powers to decide what to do.
“Sometimes a decision is instantaneous, but in others a range of thought levels are brought to bear before acting. Good decision intuition is not a mysterious process,” said Nuthall.
“Profit and other assessments show some farmers are good intuitive decisionmakers, others not so good.”
Farmers with little experience, whether or not they are naturally intuitive, found it difficult to make good decisions.
Nuthall said the intuition process often uses ‘pattern matching’, in which the brain uses experience to match past events with a current problem requiring a decision.
“The farmer [then intuitively] comes up with what the brain believes to be the correct action.”
However, intuition was more than just pattern matching.
“Intuition develops with a farmer’s thought process, self-criticism and review.”
The new research showed how farmers can improve their intuition, he says.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.