Labour warns against sacrificing productive farmland for housing expansion
Labour's agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton says while New Zealand needs more housing, sacrificing our best farmland to get there is not the answer.
A new report from ASB and Lincoln University shows how smarter, more diverse land use could unlock billions in value for farmers and the wider economy.
The Future Use of Land and How to Fund It, a collaboration between ASB and Lincoln University's Centre of Excellence in Transformative Agribusiness, outlines how land use optimisation across the food and fibre sector could significantly boost the country's GDP, while also delivering social and environmental benefits.
Developed with input from leaders across the primary sector, including dairy, horticulture, sheep and beef, agritech, finance and government, the reoport explores four possible futures for New Zealand.
Each scenario focusses on a single factor that will impact the food and fibre sector, for example greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets, or the Government's goal to double export values, and pushes them to the extreme, demonstrating the pressing need for change.
The research sets out seven transformational pathways, such as diversifying farm systems to introduce mixed revenue streams, increasing horticultural production, and unlocking underutilised Māori land. It demonstrates how better land use, paired with innovative funding, can unlock sustainable value across rural New Zealand.
Researchers have also developed a land transition model, providing land-use insights on a regional level. Agri-consultants can use the model to help inform potential paths forward for farmers.
“The food and fibre sector has always been a key driver of our economy, yet many producers operate on slim margins. We speak with farmers every week who are deeply committed to their land and legacy but grapple with viability, as they’re not getting the returns to operate sustainably into the future,” says ASB’s general manager rural banking, Aidan Gent.
“This research brings together the insights and tools to help landowners make informed decisions for future prosperity.”
Alan Renwick of Lincoln University says optimising land use by just 10% could add $10 billion in value to the economy if it’s done in the right way, and this or more could be achieved in the next 5-7 years.
Kiwis love their butter, and that's great because New Zealand produces some of the best butter in the world. But when the price of butter goes up, it's tough for some, particularly when many other grocery staples have also gone up and the heat goes on co-operative Fonterra, the country's main butter maker. Here the co-op explains why butter prices are so high right now.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown has waded into the debate around soaring butter prices, pointing out that the demand for dairy overseas dictates the price to farmers and at the supermarket.
Farmers are welcoming new Government proposals to make farm health and safety rules more practical and grounded in real-world farming.
Missing fresh mozzarella cheese made at home in Bari, southern Italy, Massimo Lubisco and his wife Marina decided to bring a taste of home to New Zealand.
An A$2 billion bid for Fonterra's Oceania business would be great news, according to Forsyth Barr senior analyst, equities, Matt Montgomerie.
Irish meat processor Dawn Meats is set to acquire a 70% stake in Alliance Group, according to a report in The Irish Times.
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