Arable Sector Costs Are the Biggest Problem, Says FAR
Flat pricing in the face of significant increases in costs is the greatest problem facing the arable sector, says Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) chief executive Dr Scott Champion.
Participants at the recent Arable Sector Forum were actively following up on the five big headings to consider how they could best be addressed.
As a research, development and extension organisation, FAR's work would continue to bring a sharp a focus as possible on the things that make a difference to the growing of crops, "whether that's about improving profitability or reducing costs or whatever it might be".
Champion said FAR was looking more closely at connecting arable to other sectors, primarily dairy and sheep and beef.
He noted that 75% of wheat and barley go into animal feeds rather than human consumption, and probably 90% of arable farms would carry livestock in some form.
"So how do we think about connecting better into dairy, identifying and then providing the opportunities around using New Zealand grains for supplementary feeding in those pasture-based systems?
"These are some of the things that we're turning our attention to."
However, there were some barriers to replacing imported feeds with local grains, such as their nutritional profiles versus animal nutrition needs, and greenhouse gas impacts.
"We've released some life cycle analysis data recently which is the first New Zealand generated data across maize grain, maize silage, feed wheat and feed barley.
"We now recognise that there are dairy farmers who are interested in it and there are small incentives that are available at the moment for lowering emissions."
While PKE was the most common imported feed, there were others such as dried distillers' grain and soy.
"The reality is we won't be able to substitute all of that. The volumes are more than we produce here in New Zealand."
Champion has been in the role as FAR CEO since July last year, following several years with Beef+Lamb NZ and in a private consultancy.
He said the organisation recently released a new five year strategy focusing on four key goals, with strong connection to growers and collaboration at the heart of FAR's approach.
One goal area was building an understanding of arable and "getting a bit more visibility" on what arable does, said Champion.
Arable had a strategic role in underpinning the sheep and beef and dairy sectors, both through the provision of grazing land in mixed farm systems - which was becoming more important in key areas like Canterbury - and in the supply of the pastoral and forage seeds that drive those big export industries.
