The cull of 22,000 cattle infected with Mycoplasma bovis is a tragedy about to unfold but the silver lining may be the opportunity it presents to our farmers.
For too long New Zealand has relied largely on dairy production. This industry is coming under progressively more market threat from the expanding home production capacity of our traditional markets and the growing global trend towards more environmentally and animal friendly plant-based eating.
The increasing public awareness of the environmental costs of farming, as well as increased transparency around farmed animal welfare issues, has had an impact on the social licence of animal farming to continue in its current state.
This Government-ordered cull presents affected farmers with a timely opportunity to start the process of moving away from the status quo monoculture approach to farming and help lead the world into a more environmentally aware food production system.
Restocking at lower densities would allow farmers to start the process of diversification through their own individualised on-farm trials.
The opportunities for growth in the plant-based markets are huge. Many innovative alternative protein manufacturers in New Zealand, such as Sunfed, Angel Food and Tonzu are undergoing rapid growth.