Feed importation for our livestock industry could test the resilience of arable farmers for a number of reasons.
Newly-elected industry Vice-Chairperson (Maize/Forage), Hew Dalrymple, has warned this year's predicted prices for maize negates any profit, and when you add in capital value (land and equipment) there will be no return on investment. "Any return will be minimal," he said.
While media readily turn to dairy farmers for feedback on the continued fall of the dairy payout, the pain stretches to arable farmers too.
The increase of maize imports is testing the robustness of New Zealand's biosecurity procedures.
Our maize industry is a world leader for yields and predicated by our reputation as a disease-free country.
The recent Noogoora burr found within a consignment of imported maize from Bulgaria, raised the ire of the Federated Farmers Arable Industry Group, who recall the recent Blackgrass incursion and the threat it posed to arable farming in Canterbury.
Had the Blackgrass seed germinated, it could have cost the arable industry $8.4 million to $82.4 million, depending on the degree of incursion and method of control undertaken.
Arable Industry Group Chairman Guy Wigley says "Any biosecurity breach of any magnitude has the potential to impede our ability to remain a productive part of the New Zealand economy."
A significant weed or insect pest found in our seed export lines would limit our access to international markets.
The discovery of Blackleg in a line of brassica destined for China has seen all brassica exports to that country stopped until such time until Chinese are satisfied with our practices.
The total value of sales generated by our burgeoning seed export market (including upstream sales) adds $650 million to the New Zealand economy.
The current dairy downturn affects more than just dairy farmers, but arable farmers too.
A key part of any farm system is its ability to bounce back, and arable farmers' resilience will be severely challenged if biosecurity practices become too lax.
