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Kellogg Scholar Reports

Courageous leadership: A look at present day leadership in New Zealand agriculture.

Executive summary

This report is a look at leadership in agriculture in New Zealand.
The purpose of this research is to provide a context in which leadership exists in the agricultural sector today. If we can understand the present situation and the reasons that has shaped leadership in this way, then this will give us far greater insight into the structure, skills and psyche of the sector. Once this analysis has been completed, discussion can then be had regarding what kind of leaders the future will need.
When the current context is used as a framework to look at the structure that currently exists, a pathway can be plotted to achieve this new leadership, while avoiding mistakes made in the past based on who farmers are and how they choose leaders. This gives the sector the best chance at success, by momentarily looking back and then looking forward with the current constraints in mind.

“Leadership has changed and these days’ leadership is very much about how you can get the best out of your team and the people around you. Leadership in the old days- it was very much about ‘I’ll lead, you follow’. John key is a good example of this [new] kind of leader. People say he flip flops, but it’s not flip flopping at all. He’s very good at understanding that you have to take people with you and that’s the only way you can be an effective leader and so it’s very much about the most effective leadership style for today’s environment which is taking people with you and someone that leads from within rather than someone that leads from in front. We are a much more inclusive society today. In a small country like NZ, if you go out in front and try and lead, there’s always people that want to chop you down, so I think the leadership style matches our personality in many ways. We don’t like tall poppy’s and people that go out in front. We like people that lead from within.”

The research undertaken, and the resulting report, seeks to answer questions around leadership in New Zealand Agriculture. What do we have currently and why has this evolved? What are the things that are working and not working and what aspects of leadership, sector structure and knowledge/skills do we need for our industry to have the best chance at success? The ultimate discussion focuses around the opportunities on how we achieve this leadership and strengthen our back bone industry of New Zealand. Agriculture needs to be made more resilient and economically viable enough to withstand any challenge it is likely to face in the future.

The key opportunities discussed are:

  • A collaborative sector through combining meat, dairy and Maori Agribusiness. This is imperative and it needs to happen from the farmers right through to governance. Collaboration will allow New Zealand agriculture to align its reputation and identity as closely as possible. This will require leadership we don’t currently have and policy that currently doesn’t exist.
  • Leaders are made either by becoming accidental leaders or seeking out higher governance roles. Both leadership beginnings will be required in the agricultural sector, with training and self-awareness to understand the limitations and insights of both.
  • Diversity of the leadership within the industry is imperative. That needs to include women, Maori and other ethnicities and younger leaders. This is not about gender equality; but different perspectives helping to enrich discussion and solution based leadership. The millennials could well be the key to looking at challenges we are yet to face, with renewed vigor and courage.
  • The leadership that is required for these challenges is different to leadership in its current form.
  • A radical change in how we sell our produce and who we sell it to is required, to attract a premium to allow farming in New Zealand to stay economically viable in the face of increased costs and regulation.

There is no doubt the agricultural sector needs strong, courageous, brave, skilled leaders with good judgement. Some of this currently exists, but a larger cross section of leaders with diverse perspectives need to display these attributes. If we have these ideas about the weaknesses in the sector, we can rectify these going forward. Training and leadership organizations will help this and there should be a larger focus on professional and personal development by leadership teams and potential leaders. However, the future challenges the industry is likely to face will help to cultivate strong and courageous leadership, and this leadership will prosper.

Had time permitted, ideally more leaders would have been interviewed to bring more depth of discussion and perspective. However, the research undertaken here can be built on at some stage. More research into leadership theory by Hogan, Marlow’s hierarchy of needs and different leadership styles would further develop this research. This topic would be worthy of a comprehensive thesis, as leadership is often talked about but rarely understood.

Validating the “brand” for New Zealand’s target dairy consumers in China.

Executive summary

The New Zealand dairy industry, like many other primary industries, fuelled by market volatility is at a pseudo crossroads in its evolution. Does it look to secure its past dominance in global dairy commodity trade and optimise its investment into established commodity infrastructure? Or does it forego past heritage and investments, adopting a more singular focused strategic migration into revenue dominance from consumer value-add exports and secure the perceived provenance value of our dairy products?

Anecdotally, the view of the majority of industry stakeholders is a push for the latter. New Zealand’s dominant dairy exporter, Fonterra has made a genuine contribution in this direction to date, but by its own acknowledgement, still has a long way to go7. Other dairy exporters are now re-aligning strategies to secure their share of the potential prize and as a result, considerable media and industry discussion has evolved on what needs to be done and the urgency behind the industry need.

I saw an opportunity to understand this subject better and apply a critical analysis of existing research, market participation and industry support initiatives to understand just what focus our industry needs in order to brand our products successfully.

China is an export market that has dominated export revenues for the New Zealand dairy industry in recent years and its demand for dairy with attributes like those associated with New Zealand is forecast to continue to grow17. Fonterra have recently stated the strategic importance of the Chinese consumer market within its strategic goals7. With growing attention and market penetration within China from competing dairy export nations, there is no better time for New Zealand to form a plan, which includes identifying a target market.

A review of existing literature and research identified that the current Chinese dairy market considers food safety, freshness and authenticity when making their consumer choices for food and beverage consumables. Existing New Zealand exporter marketing had not challenged the market with anything other than satisfying these key consumer needs.

The report proposes that the target market should be the emerging upper- middle-class demographic within Chinese consumer society. These consumers had been found to be young, adventurous, well-travelled, independent thinking, while maintaining traditional Chinese benevolence and health/wellbeing values20. They display much of the same behaviours observed within their western “lifestyle consumer” peers and combined with an empowerment to now establish a generation identity, are likely to be attracted to a brand purpose rather than more sterile functional attributes.

Existing literature points toward an opportunity for either the New Zealand industry as-a-whole or individual exporters to develop a story to support product differentiation. This has been partially accomplished through the national NZ Story Group and quality assurance platforms such as inSight, but to date the story does not appear to be compelling enough to draw the market demand and premiums the industry seeks.

Past research such as that by Lincoln University’s AERU has identified generic Chinese consumer feedback on the importance of many of New Zealand’s credence attributes but fell short of being specific to dairy, the identified target market, and did not challenge survey respondents to make trade-off selections to simulate the actual rapid product-purchase process. I conducted a quantitative survey of over 500 upper-middle-class Chinese consumers using basic milk powder as a sample product and asked participants to prioritise factors I predicted would determine their purchase decision.

The results confirmed that historically understood consumer needs of Food Safety and Freshness still dominated consumer priorities, but that attitudes towards genetic modification had changed to a more negative perception. New Zealand’s traditional credence attributes of environmental stewardship and Animal Welfare best practice continued to rank as important but not critical and that what value these attributes did provide, stemmed from an association with health benefits.

It appears that the “NZ Story” New Zealanders are familiar with and associate much of their industry pride with, is either not fully understood by the target market or does not resonate. It was identified that only those consumers that associated environmental attributes with food safety benefits provided a willingness to pay a premium. My recommendation for future research is to better understand the factors within the potential NZ story that will engage the interest of these target pioneering consumers, thus creating a value behind a desire to be associated with New Zealand.

There certainly needs to be energy directed at establishing a robust channel of current market intelligence within both the Chinese retail and e- commerce markets across all aspects of consumer needs and attitudes. Such information will need to feed brand development and future functional innovation focuses.

A word of caution though, as it may just be a matter of time before this ever-modernising and westernising consumer demographic simply “catch up” with their western peers and evolve an appreciation (outside of personal health benefits) for our existing ethical product value all on their own.

 

New Zealand growers priorities.

Executive summary

The aim of this research project was to understand the main issues that growers perceive are (or will be) affecting their businesses and industry. A survey with 233 responses and four focus groups (two focused on vegetables and two on fruit) were conducted to get a snapshot of the industry and to help guide the strategic review for Horticulture New Zealand. Survey respondents were predominantly small and medium sized enterprises with most (89%) indicating they had 20 or less full time equivalent employees year round. 35% of survey respondents indicated that they employed more than 20 people in the peak season (some over 150). Annual turnover for 67% of the survey respondents was $1 million or less with 36% of survey respondents indicating they had a turnover of less than $250,000. 

The survey found that these issues were thought to have had the most impact on growers businesses over the past five years (in order of perceived impact)

  1. The price of inputs
  2. The cost of compliance
  3. Market access
  4. Food safety
  5. Health and safety

The survey found that the top five issues thought to be facing growers businesses in the next five years were (in order of perceived impact)

  1. Health and safety
  2. Biosecurity
  3. Market Access
  4. Cost of compliance
  5. Access to Water

Growers thought that the issues Horticulture New Zealand should be focussing on for growers were (in order of priority):

  1. Biosecurity
  2. The cost of compliance
  3. Health and safety
  4. Access to water
  5. Market access

However, the priorities changed with the availability of seasonal labour being elevated as a priority (along with employment and immigration law). A similar pattern occurred when the results were filtered for businesses that were fully vertically integrated, possibly indicating that more vertically integrated export businesses, those with a single desk marketing structure and fruit growing businesses are more concerned with seasonal labour shortages than other survey respondents. A comparison was made between businesses that grew 100% of produce for the domestic market and those that grew 100% for the export markets. The differences in priorities mirrored that of fruit and vegetable growers probably due to the export only group being predominantly fruit growers.

The survey indicated a growing concern about access to water moving from 48% to 71% (+23%) from the current situation to the future. Concern over the impacts of land fragmentation concern also rose from the current to the future scenario (+7%) as did the perceived impacts of land availability (+13%).
When asked about decision making priorities, the number one consideration growers had was financial sustainability with 144 (77%) rating this as their number one priority. Environmental sustainability was the most common second choice with 60 (or 31%), the third, fourth and fifth priorities varied between environmental sustainability, business reputation, worker welfare and lifestyle/family impacts; the most commonly ranked least important was ‘wider community impacts’ with 122 or 54%. This echoed other studies of this type which have indicated that financial sustainability was most important, but environmental sustainability was of growing significance.

Business aspirations were assessed, and the most common response was a plan to double yield (40%) followed by staying the same size (40%) and (more concerning) getting out of the business (20%). Businesses planning to triple, more than triple or shrink were 14%, 7% and 4% respectively. When filtered for age there was an increase in the percentage planning to exit the industry (from 20% – 34%) however, this was not found to be the single determining factor for those planning to exit the industry. When age range was compared for fruit and vegetable growers the data indicated a high percentage of growers in the over 65 age group for both groups but more fruit growers in the ‘over 65’ age bracket and more vegetable growers in the younger age brackets.

Although there were found to be key differences between the fruit and vegetable sectors’ priorities the main issues that growers felt Horticulture New Zealand should address included biosecurity, access to water, health and safety, land availability and reverse sensitivity issues, labour (seasonal and permanent) and career paths. They also felt there is a need for horticulture to ‘tell its story better’ to be recognised and understood at a government and community level, and for Horticulture New Zealand to promote what it was doing so that growers recognised its value.

Overall this study highlights the diversity of horticultural businesses in New Zealand and the different priorities of growers. The difficulty of an industry body representing these diverse growers at a national level moving into the future is discussed, and recommendations made including regular grower surveys, ongoing quantification and calculation of its value add to growers, promoting succession planning and careers in the industry and communicating the value of the sector to New Zealand.

Angela Halliday

How has New Zealand dairy employment trends changed in New Zealand since 2000.

Executive summary

For the last 15 years I have been involved with the dairy industry in the capacity of a rural bank manager . Prior to this I worked as an accountant, property valuer and seasonal farm worker.

Ironically I started with another topic in mind “key factors to staff retention in Northland dairy farms”, however after numerous discussions with clients the topic evolved into the change in employment trends in the New Zealand dairy industry. The rational for the selection of topic was fundamentally due to the banking relationships held with clients with a large percentage complaining about the difficulty in attracting and retaining staff. 

I believe that there is an economic cost to many Northland dairy farmers in regards to staff turnover and retention which inhibits many farms and farmers from reaching their potential. I also believe that via better staff retention communities will be less nomadic and with a stable environment there is the ability to establish roots to aid and add to the community dynamic.

During my tenure as a rural manager there has been significant change in the dairy industry and the purpose of my research is to understand how this has impacted employment in the dairy sector.

I reviewed historic research conducted in a similar vein with a view to identify themes behind their work to enable me to establish my own hypothesis. Common threads were collated from this research work in to a survey to complete comprising questions around these threads from both an employer and an employee perspective.

Michael Skudder

Growing the Maori primary sector: A critique of national and regional strategies.

Daniel Phillips Kellogg report image
Daniel Phillips Kellogg report image

Executive Summary

New Zealand is made up of sixteen regional economies, of which Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are the main urban centres, the other thirteen regions are predominately rural in location and are resource based economies which are the drivers of our primary production.

Māori have significant interests which span the width and breadth of the primary sector, the potential for growing the Maori primary sector assets is massive, the “size of the prize” is understood by central and local government representatives and as such have identified the growth of the Maori primary sector as a key theme to economic growth in the regions.

Central to discussion s are the strategies put in place at a national and regional level that aspire to grow the Maori primary sector, discussions will identify barriers to growth and how the implementation of the strategies intend to lower the barriers to growth.

Key considerations to be discussed will focus on: the implementation of the growth strategies ; who has ultimate responsibility for implementation; the level of collaboration required by central government, resource owners and key regional community stakeholders to realise growth: and the level of resource allocation required to leverage opportunities.

Deering to be different.

Executive summary

New Zealand (NZ) has the largest population of farmed deer worldwide and the invention of deer farming is a great innovative agricultural success (Anselmi, Taylor, Good, Hansen, & McHugh, 2012). Recently, NZ velvet has developed a premium product reputation and prices have been high. However, on the 1st March 2016 the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme will require all mature deer to be NAIT tagged and registered. 

This imposes a compliance cost, but equally creates new opportunities from the adoption of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. RFID has revolutionised NZ dairy farm production systems and is seen by many premium markets, as “a necessity for food safety procedures and requirements” (Anselmi, et al., 2012, p. 15).

“RFID is a generic term that is used to describe a system that transmits the identity (in the form of a unique serial number) of an object or person wirelessly, using radio waves” (Kaur, Sandhu, Mohan, & Sandhu, 2011, p. 151) . RFID or electronic identification (EID) animal tagging “is a means of automatically identifying individual products or livestock via a unique numbered tag which has the ability to be scanned and recorded onto an external database” (Anselmi, et al., 2012. p. 7). RFID could be thought of as a replacement to barcode technology, but with a number of additional capabilities, including its ability to operate in some environments without direct line of sight.

The majority of NZ velvet is sold in South Korea with in private medicine shops, by highly trained Oriental Medicine Doctors who “prescribe velvet in combination with a number of herbs, according to the treatment required” (Fraser, 2009, p. 6). This market is changing and young Koreans are time poor, but still believe in the health properties of velvet. They require velvet in a capsule and extract form, which creates new opportunities within velvet-focused farm systems and velvet value chains.

The purpose of this study was to add to the existing literature available to the Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) and its stakeholders on RFID. The goal of this study was to fill the gap by completing: an evaluation of RFID technology within velvet-focused farm systems and velvet value chains. A case study approach was used as defined by Perry (1998) and a thematic analysis technique was used to analyse the data as described by Fereday, (2006). The study’s interviewees were made up of industry professionals who have specific knowledge and viewpoints on either RFID, velvet supply chains, the NZ deer industry or velvet-focused farming systems. It can be concluded that there are opportunities for RFID technology within velvet-focused farm systems.

Seven main opportunities were identified from the ad option of RFID technology by the NZ velvet industry. All seven of these opportunities were shown to be interlinked through the adoption of RFID technology, but were shown to provide different impacts depending on the adopter’s position within the supply chain. These seven opportunities are:

  1. Ultra – High Frequency (UHF)
  2. Traceability
  3. Supply chain management
  4. Data handling
  5. Individualised management
  6. Live data analysis
  7. Industry data hub

The biggest opportunity for the velvet industry is the industry-wide adoption of UHF RFID technology. UHF is the preferred RFID frequency for supply chains, but it also creates additional opportunities for NZ velvet producers . UHF appears to better adhere to the behaviour of deer, which enables more applications in the animal management systems of producers compared to low frequency. UHF’s key benefits were its animal handling, information storage and increased operator safety capabilities.

The traceability capability of RFID was seen as the biggest opportunity across all RFID frequencies. The benefits of RFIDs traceability capability are created through RFIDs ability to improve supply chain management, data handling, individualised management and live data analysis through the use of an industry data hub. This requires the integration of on-farm a d supply chain RFID technologies, which is needed to create relatively seamless electronic information transfer between entities. This integration would enable the opportunities that have been identified to be implemented and would be beneficial for all parties within the NZ velvet industry.

In the long term, the potential opportunities of RFID for the NZ velvet industry will outweigh the limitations to adoption as the adoption of RFID has the potential to benefit all par ties within the NZ velvet industry. The main limitations of the uptake of RFID technology within the NZ velvet industry are a lack of useful information sharing and time for user familiarisation. These limitations will be ongoing as more innovative RFID opportunities are created for velvet-focused farm systems and velvet value chains. Some of these opportunities we have yet to imagine, let alone recognise

Based on this study, it has been recommended:

  1. That further research is conducted into understanding the full potential of RFID technologies within the NZ velvet industry.
  2. That NAIT urgently revisits and reassess its decision to exclude the use of UHF technology from the NZ velvet industry for animal identification and tracing.
  3. That DINZ makes the further exploration of UHF RFID velvet tag technology as a suitable alternative to paper-based velvet traceability systems a priority.
  4. That DINZ enables innovative customers, marketers and producers to freely experiment with RFID and identify their own tangible opportunities, limitations and benefits.
  5. That DINZ does not immediately make a new RFID technology compulsory and instead enables the extension, support and time needed for users to become familiar with RFID.
  6. That entities involved within RFID technology development, NZ velvet production and velvet value chains come together to communicate and collaborate in order to create:
    1. An improved extension frame work for RFID within the NZ velvet industry.
    2. A development plan for the utilisation of data created through RFID.
    3. A strategy of enablement, which allows commercial entities both on-farm and in the velvet value chain to benefit from the opportunities that RFID can create.
  7. That NZ livestock industries come together on RFID research and development to create and exploit mutually beneficial opportunities.
  8. That visionary leadership is utilised for decisions regarding RFID within the NZ velvet industry. To ensure that RFIDs long term potential to create new opportunities is not wasted.
  9. That a strategy for the creation of a national industry good livestock data hub is created. A hub that would enable the transfer of information between entities, the creation of powerful big data analysis and a framework for RFID data transfer and analysis technology developers.

Hamish Clarke

The value of using digital technology for farm paddock record keeping.

Executive summary

The use of paddock recording by farmers is still very much done by traditional methods. The popular method of paper recording ie. In a farm diary, has many limitations and although the benefits of using technology are clear, not many NZ farmers have been brave enough to take up the challenge and use paddock recording programmes such as Production Wise.

This report surveys four diverse farmers for their opinions about paddock recording and then uses a large Canterbury dairy operation as a case study to trial the use and benefits of using a cloud based computer programme to record paddock information. 

Farmlands Co-Operative is a market leader in on farm service and farm advice. Using a case study from Canterbury Grasslands Limited, a proposal will be submitted to management to outline a system so that all TFOs are trained in the use of paddock recording technology to encourage the shareholder to maintain accurate records of all paddock inputs. 

The success of this study will be when a farmer can see how easy it is to use and how much more information can be retained on farm and available for use not only by the farm itself, but for other contractors such as seed supplier, fertiliser supplier or chemical supplier. If this programme is rolled out across all of Farmlands NZ, it gives the company major advantage in customer service.

Wayne May

Analysis of production systems in the New Zealand dairy industry.

Executive summary

The objective of this study was to investigate the aspects of production systems in the New Zealand dairy industry with profitability as the key driver, along with resilience to volatile price swings, international competiveness and an environmental enquiry. Existing data was used for this analysis . Over the past 10 years there has been a substantial increase in supplementary feeding on New Zealand dairy farms, resulting in an increase of more than 100% in feed costs, while cost of debt increased over 40%. 

Many decisions to increase farm intensity and supplement feeding are based on a perception that additional feeding will lead to further milksolid production, and therefore, further profitability and return on assets. Caution needs to be taken here, as the key driver of operating profit per hectare on New Zealand dairy farms is the cost of production, as this can be managed within the farmgate, while other variables lie beyond farmer control.

Analysis from this study suggests that although individual farmers operating intensive systems have done well, and can remain profitable in average farmgate milk price seasons, the New Zealand dairy industry as a whole has be come less resilient to external factors, international competiveness has been eroded, and profitability has become difficult in low to average milk price seasons with higher breakeven milk prices required. Intensive farm systems with off-paddock facilities such as cow housing barns, when incorporated in the New Zealand pastoral mode l, have also shown that it is difficult to achieve positive environmental outcomes whilst being profitable, with breakeven milk prices required in excess of $6.50 per kilogram of milksolid.

International datasets show that the overall costs associated with supplementary feeding can be more than 50% of the purchase price when accounting for wastage, utilisation, capital infrastructure, fuel/energy, and repairs and maintenance.

Combining supplements into a pasture based system can have the possibility to enhance total feed intake, production and profitability. However, the real milk solid response is regularly inconsistent and less than anticipated. Results under ideal research conditions showed a response of 70-80g of milksolids per kilogram of supplement dry matter introduced into the diet, while commercial dairy farms only had a 55g response.

However, not all farm system decisions are necessarily based on profitability. Many decisions concerning farm systems, intensity and infrastructure can be based on non-economic factors. This does not mean they are poor decisions, so long as the long term viability of the farming operation is sustained, but farmers must be aware of the implications of doing so.

Farmers need to be cautious of making reflex decisions in altering their systems due to a short term shift in milk price. What needs to be understood is the key drivers and values of the operation, and make decisions based on the core objectives and strategy, current performance, and recognise opportunities to make strategic changes to increase business profitability and resilience.

Zach Mounsey

The future of fodder beet.

Executive summary

This report aims to identify the advantages and disadvantages of fodder beet (FB) as a feed option for lactating cows in the dairy industry. In this report I analyze the cost to grow, harvest and transport fodder beet. In addition, I compare similar stock feed that includes: palm kernel expeller (PKE), and grain. I pay particular attention to the nutritional and environmental factors involved with each type of feed. 

To begin, I give a brief overview of PKE, grain and FB. Next, I examine the key physical attributes and history of the different supplements. The next section outlines the different dairy farm systems in relation to the level of supplements used on farms.

In this report, I review the factors that influence the cost of supplements. From these factors, I then assess the actual cost of the different supplements. Once I convert these dollar figures and apply the amounts to an energy unit, I then pair this information against the average dairy payout figures from past years. From here, I then calculate the profit margin of each feed. This figure is then extended beyond an individual farm by applying industry statistics to the calculation. I use the calculation to then highlight the potential benefits a change in feed could provide for the entire dairy industry.

Another major issue associated with supplements is the environmental concerns. In my report I provide the opposing viewpoints with regard to the usage of PKE. This section is designed to highlight the difficulty associated with achieving collaboration when the opposing views are so strong.

I conclude by addressing the difficulties with feeding FB, one example is acidosis. However, I also provide the potential nutritional benefits associated with lower levels of excreted nitrogen, and therefore more protein is utilized and absorbed by the cow.

This report strives to be both informative and provocative. I want to inform the reader on the current issues surrounding supplements, but also, and perhaps more importantly, challenge the reader to think outside the box and reach for solutions. We live in a world of constant change as this report continually highlights. For us to move forward as a collective, we must embrace this constant change in order to prosper.

Sam Riley

Developing light sand pasture dunes into irrigated land.

Executive summary

The New Zealand government has set a goal of doubling the value of exports by 2025. In order to achieve this, the Irrigation Acceleration Fund (IAF) was allocated $35 million over five years to support the development of irrigation infrastructure. 

Rangitikei local government had employed Catalyst Group an environmental management consulting company to conduct case studies on irrigated and non-irrigated properties to the determine potential of expanding irrigation. It would appear that central and regional governments are keen to develop more land under irrigation.

The aim of this project is to understand the formation of sand dunes in the lower west coast of the North Island and their stability. Secondly the project aimed to find out what support from Government has been provided for farmers to develop their land to irrigation? Lastly the project provides a case study on re-contouring land.

A range of interviews were conducted to explore the aims stated above. Dr Alastair Clement from Massey University w as contacted to understand how local dune fields were formed and stable they are, and how they were unique. Hew Dalrymple a farmer near Bulls was interviewed to see how their current irrigation project was proceeding.

The lower North Island sand dune area has undergone massive transformation over the past 10,000 years and parts are still forming. Early Maori and European settlers have influenced this dune area more recently ( past 1,000 years).

Developing these dunes would always be restricted by cost to develop. But it had been proven to be feasible to irrigate and produce increased returns from the land. Current regulation provides a reasonable framework for farmers to adhere to. More information from regional councils could improve the process to help estimate costs and barriers.

Hamish Easton