increase font size
ANZ chief economist Cameron Bagrie.
GETTING YOUNG people into agribusiness is critical for New Zealand’s future, says ANZ chief economist Cameron Bagrie.
He told the recent Zespri conference that he is concerned to see the right people enter the agri sector in the numbers required. For example, the kiwifruit industry will soon be producing 30 million more trays of product and will need more people to cope with that trend.
Bagrie is convinced that most young people do not understand the long term future they could enjoy in some primary industries.
“People study commerce and law because the perception is they are going to make an awful lot of money. [But] I am pretty sure an agri manager has a higher starting salary than a lawyer or an accountant. Who would have thought that possible five or ten years ago? The relative price signals are starting to shift.”
New websites enable young people to see the opportunities in the various sectors and income prospects over time.
He proposes drastic moves on university fees to encourage agri studies and discourage arts. “If you want to get more people into agriculture there is a big lever you can pull in regard to fees. If you want fewer arts students ram the price of these degrees up and put the price of an agri degree down. Students respond to those sorts of dynamics.”
Bagrie also has a strong message for teachers: education is the only sector where, regardless of skills, people get the same pay.
“Can you imagine a bunch of lawyers on strike, marching down the main street in Tauranga holding up signs saying ‘because we are worth it’?” he asks.
“I’m a big believer in economics 101: if you get the right economic incentives in front of people you will drive the right sort of behaviours. So if there is a quality mis-match between one teacher and another there should be a pay mis-match between one and the other.”
• Huge career opportunites - page 5
Science is pivotal to driving progress and unlocking opportunity and innovation in the ag sector, says DairyNZ chief executive and chair of the Agribusiness in Schools programme, Campbell Parker.
OPINION: Last week, Education Minister Erica Stanford sent a clear, but troubling message to New Zealand’s students: if you’re academically ambitious, agriculture might not be for you.
Public backlash has forced the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Education Minister Erica Stanford to do a U-turn on a proposal to axe agriculture and horticulture science as standalone subjects in the secondary school curriculum.
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
There's been unprecedented demand from secondary school students across the country to study agricultural related subjects.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…
One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…
