$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.
Todd Charteris says Rabobank was committed to playing a role to help transition the New Zealand agri sector to a higher production - lower carbon future.
"We've made a start on this journey by signing up to the United Natios net zero global alliance, benchmarking the non-financial aspects of client businesses to ensure we are banking with responsible farmers and growers, and undergoing Toitu accreditation to enable us to report on our own emissions," he says.
"We're also finalising a new white paper which looks at the climate change challenge for New Zealand agri-business and expands on some of the ideas and actions I've outlined.
"This paper will be released in the coming weeks and our intention is to engage with farmers, industry stakeholders and politicians over the months ahead to discuss the paper's key findings and how the bank can work together with others to steer the coming food transition."
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.
The New Zealand Fish & Game Council has announced a leadership change in an effort to provide strategic direction for the sector and support the implementation of proposed legislative changes.
AgFirst, New Zealand's largest independent agribusiness consultancy, is turning 30 - celebrating three decades of "trusted advice, practical solutions, and innovative thinking".