Opinion: Beef + Lamb New Zealand chairman Andrew Morrison and Beef + Lamb New Zealand CEO Sam McIvor reflect on the challenges of 2020, and look to the future for the red meat sector.
The response to adversity in 2020 has really underlined the passion, pride and resilience of sheep and beef farmers and our processing companies.
This in-built resilience has stood the sector in good stead during 2020 and underlined its critical contribution to our communities, to the environment, and to New Zealand's economy.
In the face of disruption caused by the global pandemic, our sheep and beef sector showed tremendous agility in where it exported and how the product was delivered to consumers.
The sector's Taste Pure Nature brand was able leverage changes in consumer behaviour in our markets, especially in China, toward seeking healthier food options to boost the immune system in the wake of Covid-19. In both the US and China, the sector successfully moved to a stronger online and retail presence.
Our exports continued to perform strongly and will continue to be vital to New Zealand's post-Covid recovery.
Despite Covid-related processing restrictions and a widespread drought in the first half of the year, we achieved a near record 130.3 per cent lambing percentage. We also overcame serious weather challenges both wet and dry.
Photo / Steve Davidson
The task of eradicating Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) remains huge, but despite recent cases, we are making excellent progress. It's critical that we stay vigilant with the NAIT (National Animal Identification and Tracing) system.
We also know that significant challenges and opportunities lie ahead for the sector.
It is important that we continue to tell our story to New Zealanders and to the world, building on the success of Taste Pure Nature so they understand how our beef and lamb is produced through natural pasture-based farming systems and what that means for animals, for consumers, for the environment and for communities.
The sector will be building on the conversations we've started this year around the sector's footprint, with major pieces of commissioned research such as the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) report on carbon sequestration on sheep and beef farmland.
This research found our sheep and beef farms are offsetting between 68 and 118 per cent of their on-farm emissions through the woody vegetation on their farms.
While this has underlined what many farmers believed to be the case, they acknowledge there's more work to do on reducing emissions and are committed to playing their part.
We are also getting independent research done on the quantity of sheep and beef farmland that has been sold with the intent of conversion into carbon farming, a significant issue for our farming communities, and we are hoping this will be released early next year.
Photo / Rowena Duncum
Such independent research plays a critical role in our work to advocate strongly for farmers as new legislation aimed at addressing climate change and the environment comes into play.
Our farmers largely support the intent of the new regulations but the rules need to be workable.
There are encouraging signs of movement on some of the more impractical aspects of the new freshwater rules, and we'll keep advocating for sensible approaches that meet the desired environmental outcomes.
The He Waka Eke Noa partnership is also making progress towards farmer-tested approaches to measuring and reducing greenhouse gases.
Meanwhile, B+LNZ will be providing farmers with tools and support to help them find pathways through the new rules.
Early next year, we'll start releasing our modular farm plan which will not only help farmers meet regulatory requirements but reach beyond that to help them make better on-farm decisions and tell their story both domestically and internationally.
While Brexit and resulting trade disruption remains a concern, we're well prepared for whatever outcome eventuates and will continue to advocate for open markets.
This is just a snapshot of where the sheep and beef sector is at. It highlights that this is a time of significant change, and for many farmers it's weighing heavily on their minds.
Farmers should take confidence though - 2020 has once again illustrated that New Zealand farmers are the best in the world at adapting to change - and succeeding.
