$150B farm succession challenge looms for NZ agriculture
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
The Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey found farmers' expectations for their own business operations had also improved, with the net reading on this measure lifting to +37% from +19% previously.
As with headline confidence, this is the strongest reading on this measure since mid-2017.
Not surprisingly, dairy farmers continue to be the most optimistic of all the sector groupings, with close to 7 in 10 now expecting an improved performance from their own operation across the next 12 months.
Sheep and beef farmers were also markedly more upbeat about the prospects for their own businesses, with 3 in 10 expecting improved performance and only 1 in 10 now expecting performance to worsen.
Rabobank's general manager for country banking, Bruce Weir says horticulturists bucked the upwards trend, recording a lower reading on this measure.
"Growers are still broadly positive about the year ahead for their own operations - with more expecting their own farm business performance to improve than those expecting it to worsen - but they are less optimistic than in September and are now the most pessimistic of all the sector groupings, he said.
"Horticulturalists haven't seen the same recent price revival as their counterparts in the pastoral sectors, and lingering concerns over farm input prices and the outlook for overseas markets appear to be holding sentiment back."
The survey found farmers' investment intentions increased with the net reading on this measure lifting to +18% from +2% previously.
Dairy farmers recorded the strongest investment intentions, increasing to a net reading of +39% (from +21% previously) while investment intentions among sheep and beef farmers also rose (net reading of +2% from -17% last quarter). Horticulturalists' investment intentions were marginally weaker falling to a net reading of -5% (-3% previously).
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.