Editorial: Support, don't stifle farmers
OPINION: Ministry for Primary Industries' situation outlook for primary industries report (SOPI) makes impressive reading.
THE MINISTRY for Primary Industries has defended technology transfer to farms from Primary Growth Partnership programmes, following criticism from former Landcorp chief executive, and now Beef + Lamb Genetics chairman, Chris Kelly.
At BLG’s recent Sheep Breeders’ Forum in Dunedin Kelly said PGPs wouldn’t succeed “until we crack the technology transfer problem.” (Rural News, Oct 21).
That implies a lack of technology transferring from PGP programmes, which is not the case, says MPI’s PGP director Justine Gilliland.
“Technology transfer is one of the areas that we focus on in PGP programmes,” she told Rural News.
“In fact, many PGP programmes are actively focussed on this, such as Clearview Innovations, Transforming the Dairy Value Chain, the Red Meat Profit Partnership, NZ Avocados Go Global and the New Zealand Sheep Industry Transformation programme.
“These programmes are ensuring that growers and others have access to usable information, data, knowledge, tools and services and support to enable their businesses to succeed.
“For example, the FarmIQ System is connecting farmers more directly with their processor and consumers, as well as helping them to drive farm performance.”
Gilliland says MPI has also facilitated discussions across and among PGP programmes about technology transfer and other topics, to “leverage outcomes using the collective knowledge of programmes.”
A standard framework for technology transfer across PGPs helps information and knowledge sharing, she adds.
An MPI-commissioned independent report on PGPs by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research earlier this year concluded that current and future PGPs will deliver about $6.4 billion/year growth in GDP from 2025, points out Gilliland.
And if all innovations are adopted widely, and aspirations of programmes reached, an extra $4.7 billion is possible.
“The PGP is making good progress in enabling technology transfer from PGP programmes to the primary industry sectors, and this is supported by increasing collaboration among and between PGP programmes.”
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.
OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…
OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.