McIvor moving to OSPRI
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive for the past eight years, Sam McIvor is heading for new pastures at Ospri, which runs NZ’s integrated animal disease management and traceability service.
Primary sectors need not create new standards for animal welfare, grass-fed, GMO and biodiversity because these are already part of existing organic standards, says Brendan Hoare.
The former chief executive of Organics Aotearoa NZ (OANZ) says a real task, and one that should be done for the best of New Zealand, is to ‘unpack’ the organic standards which have all these components and are internationally recognised.
“New Zealand does not need is a proliferation of standards and confusion in field (farmer) and market (customer). Clearly pathways to best management practices that are aligned with market requirement are essential.”
Hoare moved on from his position as OANZ chief executive at the end of October, after a restructuring of that organisation, but he remains involved in the industry through his company Pure New Zealand.
He says while there are export markets for organic beef, lamb and wool, there is also a very strong domestic market.
“We always say we are not going to solve the red meat sectors’ issues. But we offer solutions for sure and can answer some of the questions they have, but the structural issues they need to organise.”
In its latest market report, Hoare says OANZ made sure they had the Federation of Maori Authorities, DairyNZ, BLNZ and Horticulture NZ and Wine NZ all doing research with them to find out more.
For sheep and beef, results were indicative – although not conclusive – of a trend. At least 50% of BLNZ members, who replied to the research BLNZ put out, wanted to know more about organics. “Farmers want change too. I come from a farming background, I live on a small farm and I am engaged daily,” says Hoare.
“The market wants change and farmers do too. Most farming communities I talk to realise things aren’t great. No one consciously, purposely likes to pollute or destroy the environment. There might be a few, but we have got to offer pathways for people to move. I think that is crucial.
“You can’t [sit] on your high horse and blame; that is not the culture you need. You must have an environment where people have avenues to move at a pace, time and framework which works for them and their families. It has to be sustainable economically over time.”
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
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