New Zealand's top sheep and beef farmers are anticipating challenges facing the sector and adapting their businesses, according to new research.
A group of 22 of New Zealand's highest-performing sheep and beef farmers were asked to identify the main drivers of their performance.
The research identified the critical characteristics that enabled farmers to consistently achieve good results.
The research, which followed a similar study from 2015, was commissioned by the Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP) and carried out by UMR Research.
The time, the research focused on what had changed for these farmers, particularly the challenges they faced and how they responded to the issues, compared to five years ago.
According to the study, consistency of execution, attention to detail and measuring and recording performance were critical on these sheep and beef farms.
There was also a stronger focus among high-performing farmers around addressing environmental challenges through quality assurance programmes.
However, farmers said they felt additional regulations had led to an increasingly negative public perception towards farming.
Many high-performing farmers wanted to take ownership of this issue, and some wished to help show the public how they farmed with integrity - especially regarding animal welfare and the environment.
Other prominent issues compared to 2015 were droughts, dealing with climate change, and the need to map pathways towards becoming carbon neutral.
Farmers said they also recognised changing consumer preferences, and what this meant for the long-term viability of their businesses.
Covid-19 also presented a range of challenges and opportunities for these farmers.
Malcolm Bailey, chairman of RMPP, said the research showed most high-performing farmers were continuing to do what they had already been successfully focusing on for many years.
"These farmers do not blindly follow trends, rather when they introduce new practices, they tweak them to suit both their style of farming and the environment they operate in."
"High-performing farmers, through a strong sense of self-awareness, are particularly good at translating their values or what's important to them into a 'style of farming' that is profitable and sustainable for the environment they occupy."
The research also suggested a way to support other farmers to improve their performance was to first help them to understand what they value most in farming and then translate that into a plan that suited their circumstances, Bailey said.
"This may take some time and require facilitation and peer support. While each plan may be slightly different, measuring and recording performance should be universal and small steps adopted."
Chairman of RMPP, Malcolm Bailey. Photo / Supplied
The study also suggested a range of other high-performing farmer practices that other farmers could consider adopting including:
• Using technology to target inputs more efficiently, especially fertiliser and animal health interventions.
• Making early decisions to pre-empt the loss of stock and pasture condition using an in-depth knowledge of their farm and animals via close observation over many years. These observations were almost always recorded, generally via technology, but also in some cases via extensive handwritten diary notes.
• Having a clear picture of the three to five aspects of their farm that drive performance and almost always getting these right.
• Investing in quality infrastructure (over time). The consequences of not doing so became a distraction from focusing on what was most important - animals and grass.
• Making sure they are alert to what is happening on the farm by remaining physically close to pasture and animals. While planning and office work were important, more money could be lost if farmers were not continually observing what was happening on the farm.
• Always pay close attention to both stock and pasture, and being prepared to more regularly shift animals. This meant focusing on trying to balance both pasture and stock condition throughout the year.
