NZ arable farmers face global profitability pressures
Profitability issues facing arable farmers are the same across the world, says New Zealand's special agricultural trade envoy Hamish Marr.
Lincoln has embarked on a ‘Refreshing Lincoln’ project, calling for submissions from staff and other interested groups, the process documented in a special section of the university website. Launched with a statement from Pollard on August 19, by September 1 the site had listed three formal submissions.
Pollard says the university is not asking for change, but seeking ‘dialogue’.
“We’ve announced the university needs to undergo a transformative process whereby it becomes more sustainable, more attractive to students... and economically and financially sustainable.”
However, Pollard denies reports the that university needs to save $7 million to meet financial standards set by the Tertiary Education Commission.
He says Lincoln is seeking to improve its finances, student experiences, programme flexibility and use of teaching technologies.
“So there is a financial dimension, but it isn’t the only dimension and we have not announced a figure. Some of the reports have been incorrect,” he told Rural News.
Pollard says Lincoln’s commitment to New Zealand’s agriculture by providing well-trained people and quality research is stronger than ever.
“Lincoln some years ago decided to be NZ’s specialist land-based university, saying ‘Feed the World, Protect the Future, Live Well.’ “We are absolutely 100% committed to that positioning.”
The university is “well-endowed” with farms and other assets and reconfiguring these had to be considered.
“We are exposed to the commercial fluctuations of farms caused by, for example, the price of milk. It’s not a happy circumstance for a university to have its academic viability buffeted by market fluctuations in the price of milk.
“There are strong arguments for Lincoln having farms. The question is, do we need all of them, and do all the current farms best serve our current purposes?”
Pollard says Lincoln is still part of the Lincoln Hub project with Dairy NZ, AgResearch, Plant & Food Research and Landcare Research. The hub development has a “bright future.”
“We have made strong progress through this year and things are looking positive. I don’t think the hub development is at all affected by Lincoln’s decision to transform itself.”
Pollard can’t rule out job losses, but says he’s “not sure of the basis” of an assessment by the Tertiary Education Union’s Cindy Doull that 50 jobs could go.
“We have not targeted any particular number of job losses. We have made no comment about job losses other than the very broad parameters about transformative processes.”
Addressing reports of low staff morale, Pollard says the ‘Refreshing Lincoln’ project understandably causes anxiety, but cannot be done any other way. Lincoln is deliberately being open and transparent and is calling for people to participate.
“Universities are not top-down management structures. We rely on communities, fellows, stakeholders, alumni, members of the farming community, and members of other communities all being aware and
all being given the opportunity to express their views and make some input. We are doing that through our website.”
