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Report tags: Sustainability

How does a dwindling mohair industry in New Zealand learn to play the infinite game?

Susie Woodward Kellogg report image
Susie Woodward Kellogg report image

Executive summary

With conscious consumerism (Nguyen, 2020) on the rise, natural fibres are making a comeback. The rise in awareness of the damage which is caused by synthetic materials on the environment has led to the growth of natural materials, including growth of natural fibres like mohair (Data Bridge Market Research, n.d.).

Mohair fibre, produced by the Angora goat is one of those natural luxury fibres that has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years.

Unfortunately, the New Zealand Mohair Industry has been rapidly declining along with the world production of mohair fibre. New Zealand mohair production peaked in the late 1980’s, producing up to 0.6 million kilograms of greasy mohair (2.4% of world production), dropping to current levels of 0.03 million kilograms or just under 1% of world mohair production (Hunter, 2020).

This decline in production is not the basis for this report, but instead the reason for finding out how the industry can be helped to stay alive and relevant, taking advantage of the increase in demand for more natural fibres over the use of synthetic materials.

The New Zealand mohair industry is not in a place to capitalise on the global trend of increasing use of natural fibres in its current state. The industry has seen an ageing base to its producer group form. The lack of new entrants coming into the industry has meant it has struggled to remain relevant and viable.

Despite the global mohair production decline, the demand has remained very strong, especially for top-end quality fibre and prices for mohair have remained high as demand continues to exceed supply (J. Woodward, personal communication, February 10, 2022).

With this global trend playing in favour of the mohair industry, the purpose of this research project was to identify what the New Zealand Mohair Industry organisation could do to help the industry stay relevant and thriving long into the future.

Research was conducted to explore what makes other organisations and businesses successful. Interviews were conducted with leading innovators to identify the reasons for their success and how the learnings could be adapted to help the New Zealand Mohair Industry.

For the New Zealand Mohair producer’s organisation to be successful, there were several key factors identified. They included the following:

  • Leadership – having the right person(s) guiding the organisation with a meaningful vision and empowering its members to create change.
  • Innovation – finding solutions to existing problems by challenging the status quo.
  • Resilience – learning how to adapt to change and analysing past failures to be stronger in the future.
  • Collaboration – successful businesses work effectively with others both inside and outside their organisations to develop their ideas or processes.

Another key element that was identified was having the right people on board, who demonstrated courageous leadership, adopted an infinite mindset, who were able to share their vision with others and whose behaviours reflect their values.

Together, with these key factors, several recommendations were made to assist the New Zealand Mohair Industry going forward.

The recommendations from this project include:

  • Utilise the findings from the Mohair New Zealand Incorporated SWOT analysis conducted in 2018 to help guide the strategy for the organisation going forward.
  • Adopt an infinite mindset; a mindset where the members of the Mohair New Zealand Incorporated organisation challenge the status quo, looking beyond the present to remain relevant long into the future. This will improve the levels of trust, cooperation, and innovation among the members of the mohair producer’s organisation and its leaders.
  • Undertake a step change and guide Mohair New Zealand Incorporated members through that process by following John Kotter’s (2012) proven eight-step process for leading change. The three phases of the step change are as follows:

– Phase 1: Create a Climate for Change
– Phase 2: Engage and Enable the Organisation
– Phase 3: Implement and Sustain the Change

By adopting the above recommendations, the New Zealand Mohair Industry can successfully implement a step change and help turn themselves from a declining industry, into something that’s innovative and relevant long into the future.

Achieving successful family farm succession in the New Zealand dairy industry.

Ross Neal Kellogg Succession planning in the dairy industry_eport image
Ross Neal Kellogg Succession planning in the dairy industry_eport image

Executive summary

Family farm businesses are the backbone of the New Zealand dairy industry, with many farms being handed down generation after generation to be retained under family ownership today.

The dairy farming landscape, however, is changing. Dairy businesses are increasing in size, scale, and value.

There are also many challenges looming in the sector as the country navigates towards being more environmentally sustainable, and the consumer demands more sustainably produced food. These challenges will largely need to be handled by the next generation of farmers. To ensure family farm businesses, and the New Zealand dairy industry, can continue to thrive it is important that succession is done well.

The aim of this report is to understand the key challenges that farming families face when trying to navigate through the succession process and identify solutions to these challenges.

The methodology includes a literature review, followed by semi structured interviews to gain insights from farmers and experts on their experiences. Interview responses were thematically analysed with key themes then critically analysed to gather findings.

Key challenges to succession were found to be poor communication, incorrect legal structure, a reluctance from farmers to start the process, and a lack of clarity.

Solutions to these challenges were identified as improving family communication, getting the legal structure right, reading literature to improve understanding, putting a plan in place, and engaging the help of an independent facilitator.

Recommendations for farming families:

  • Start discussions early regarding succession with your children and trusted advisors. Know that the succession process takes time. Early discussions help establish clarity for parents on potential successors, and clarity for children on how they may organise their lives.

  • Plan for succession. Parents to establish what the desired outcome for succession is. It is important that this plan comes from the parents. It is also important that this is a formal and written plan and is followed up on regularly.

  • Look to establish good family communication habits from a young age. For families who struggle to communicate effectively, all family members should be encouraged to read two books which provide great insight into effective family communication. These books are ‘The Secrets of Happy Families’ by Bruce Feiler and ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families: Building a Beautiful Family Culture in a Turbulent World’ by Stephen Covey.

  • Establish a company/trust structure:

– When first setting up the farming business with a solicitor or accountant, the company/trust structure should be put in place. This should be right at the beginning of the farming journey and well before succession is thought of.

– If the farming business is not currently in a company/trust structure it is important that this structure is set up and assets are transferred to this structure before proceeding with succession.

  • Engage with an experienced succession facilitator who is an expert in their field. The facilitator will help to start the process, lead the process and, along with a support team of trusted advisors, help the family to achieve success. A facilitator can also help to improve family communication and the formation of a written succession plan. Funding is available through MBIE and your Regional Business Partner under the Management Capability Development Fund.

  • Read the 2nd Edition of ‘Keeping Farming in the Family’ written by Ian Blackman. This is a well-thought-out book that has been specifically written to help New Zealand farming families through the succession process.

Recommendations for the dairy industry:

  • Industry bodies to engage with accountants and solicitors who deal with farming families to help them better understand:

– The implications of setting up partnership and trust structures for family farming businesses and the subsequent challenges that arise with these structures when the succession process begins.

– The importance of the company/trust structure for family farm succession and the all-around benefits that this structure provides to family farm businesses.

  • Industry bodies to create awareness about independent facilitators. Specifically:

– That there is a number of experienced succession facilitators available.

– There are significant benefits that independent facilitators can provide to make the succession process easier.

– That there is funding available through MBIE to help cover the cost of this service.

Green value chain.

Nathan Chestnut Kellogg report image
Nathan Chestnut Kellogg report image

Executive summary

New Zealand has a unique position in the global market for its agri-food exports. Farming systems are world class in producing high quality, safe and environmentally sustainable agri-food products.

Processors and manufacturers are readily working to leverage additional value from raw materials into value-add goods, utilising tangible product qualities and intangible assets of product and people in the form of technological and cultural IP.

Consumers base purchases on a decision-making framework influenced by functional value (price, quality), conditional value (available alternatives, discounts), social value (social/self image, social values) and emotional value (personal favouritism, brand loyalty, nostalgic factor).

Products must find themselves containing authenticated quality and credence attributes which hit these value markers in order to gain consumer response. Better understanding of what product quality and credence attributes consumers desire is critical.

  • Continual data collection is a necessity to enable NZ agri-food producers and exporters the best chance at maximising consumers’ willingness to purchase. Without up to date data from markets on attitudes towards credence attributes, products may not be successful despite meeting functional and conditional values.

Authentication of attributes should be sought by global or locally recognised and reputable agents. By holding authenticated and verified quality and credence attributes consumers are willing to pay a premium on standard pricings for similar products.

Natural variability of willingness to pay increased price and willingness to purchase based on credence or quality attributes is market specific.

  • NZ should strive for globally recognised authenticators to be NZ companies or be NZ based. This aligns with the desire for NZ agri-food producers to operate under the highest standards of production in the world and attract off-shore brands for authenticating product to the NZ economy. The need for a NZ based globally recognised authenticator could either be offset or work in conjunction with a national provenance authentication marker. There has been lack of leadership from MPI and NZTE in implementing such a tool, leaving NZ agri-food exporters without a bona fide COO provenance marker, creating a fragmented marketing space for NZ product. It has left the NZ brand open to counterfeiting, damaging the reputation of NZ agri-food producers.

The New Zealand Government is mechanising change to production systems and product procurement through public policy, such as the National Policy Statement for Freshwater 2020 and Emissions Reduction Plan. Which is acting upon domestic environmental outcomes, and capturing the desires of consumer sentiment of agri-food credence qualities.

The use of public policy as a gearing mechanism for private enterprise to leverage value from the market is a consequence of New Zealand’s reputation as a world leader in environmentally sustainable and quality assured agri-food producers.

  • There has been a lack of effective communication from processors and manufacturers on the attitude of consumers toward credence and quality attributes. This oversight may be affecting their relationship with producers and suppliers over system changes that are required due to change in public policy. This can be overcome by making data more visible to producers and suppliers. It will enable a better understanding of the relationship between market demands and auditing requirements from processors and public policy.

Lead your people – they will stay.

Melissa King Kellogg report image
Melissa King Kellogg report image

Executive summary

A highly skilled and valued staff member resigning can damage any team or business. Impacts can include significant loss of sales, productivity, and intellectual property loss, not to mention the costs of replacing a staff member. In this current era of low employee engagement and high employee turnover, organisations are losing good and valued people.

This research aimed to understand the impact of leadership on engagement and retention and provide recommendations on how organisations can identify the problem and introduce a meaningful approach to improve culture, engagement, and retention in their organisations.

The reasons for disengagement and turnover in organisations were discovered by comparing, contrasting, and evaluating the significant factors contributing to thriving organisational cultures with engaged and committed people.

This research project consists of a literature review, semi-structured interviews, and a thematic analysis to identify themes. From the analysis, data were evaluated to pinpoint key areas of importance.

Leadership’s impact on staff fulfilment, engagement, and retention is significant and is the fundamental driving factor that can make or break an organisation’s culture, engagement, and retention.

Organisations and leaders recognise the need and underlying benefits of creating a people-centred culture.

Employees will flourish in an environment that is focused on care, support, and growth.

Leadership is instrumental in driving these outcomes, and not enough focus is being placed on this. More significant investment in leadership is the denominating factor in improving culture, engagement, and retention.

Recommendations

  • Make leadership a genuine focus on strategic imperatives.
  • Identify strategies that cultivate a people-centric leadership model to deliver successful engagement and retention outcomes.
  • Cease relying on engagement survey data as the sole feedback for workplace engagement.
  • Convene a working party with a cross-section of people across the business that will meet to review the current organisational culture to create meaningful, authentic, and transparent guiding principles of leadership for the organisation.
  • Commission a case study that investigates people-centric businesses that are achieving success.
  • Prioritise a leadership recruitment strategy with clearly defined guidelines that identify specific leadership skills and attributes that will support recruiting the right people and align with the guiding principles of leadership.
  • Invest in setting up a leadership development programme to deliver the training and skills for a people-centric leadership model.

Pasifika subsistence farming in New Zealand.

Melaia Lousi Kellogg report image
Melaia Lousi Kellogg report image

Executive summary

A new narrative for New Zealand-based Pasifika farmers is required. The primary industries and government have an opportunity to contribute through shared principles of productivity, inclusivity, and sustainability. Supporting the upliftment of Pacific indigenous farmers in the long run can only contribute to the New Zealand global food story and help reduce social and income inequities.

The aim of this report is to gain an understanding into the New Zealand Pasifika subsistence farming operations, identify the skills and values being developed/maintained in this setting, assess the sustainable livelihood opportunities, and understand the potential values and skills New Zealand-based Pasifika bring to the Primary Industries.

Key findings:

  • There is a lack of formal research on Pasifika subsistence farmers in New Zealand to allow baseline assessments.
  • When assessed against the livelihood assets of the sustainable livelihood framework (SLF), New Zealand Pasifika subsistence farmers are challenged to access the capital assets (natural – land, physical – buildings, technology, financial – generate income, or investments) required to move from subsistence to surplus and generate income. Pasifika farmers’ strongest assets are human and social capital.
  • Pasifika’s key skills include traditional knowledge of horticulture production, intercropping, nutritional management, agronomy, crop rotation, seed/germplasm banks, entrepreneurship, biodiversity, agroecology, companion planting, hunting and gathering, and animal husbandry.
  • Pasifika’s key values identified were, kinship, stewardship, and reciprocity.
  • Absence of clearly defined policies that support the economic development of New Zealand Pasifika subsistence farmers.

Recommendations:

  • Data – undertake further research to map the current New Zealand-based Pasifika subsistence farming landscape to inform future investment/development.
  • Partnership – form partnerships between New Zealand Pasifika subsistence farmers and Primary Sector e.g., horticulture and pork industry in exchange for shared livelihood assets to create sustainable livelihoods.
  • Workforce development and mobility – use the findings from this research to enhance primary sector workforce development plans that include opportunities for the development, attraction, improved participation of Pasifika peoples in their sector.
  • Collaboration – bring together NZ Government, Pacific Governments, and FAO to discuss and consider opportunities to extending capacity building in the Pacific to include New Zealand-based Pasifika subsistence (indigenous Pacific Island peoples) farmers and their communities as long-term investment in agriculture and horticulture developments in the wider Pacific diaspora.
  • Road map – develop a road map for Pasifika subsistence farmers aspiring to create livelihood through successful Pasifika Agribusiness opportunities. Government agencies (MPI, MFAT, MBIE, TEC, MPP) to lead.
  • Transformation – development and delivery of compliance-based training by the regional/local and central Governments to help transform Pasifika subsistence farming businesses from informal to formal. In addition, help shift non-compliant mindsets towards voluntary compliance.

How do you utilise a technical sales team to grow market share?

Luke Fisher Kellogg report image
Luke Fisher Kellogg report image

Executive summary

Technical salespeople are instrumental to organisational growth and often can be the key component of winning or losing market share. Since the introduction of technology and its systemic growth into all aspects of business, the need for customer facing salespeople to become increasingly technical has become common place.

There is now a need for increased knowledge that supersedes that of a technically connected customer. As the market moves on from the travelling salesmen model, it is now imperative for salespeople to offer highly solution focussed approaches, tailored to the consumer’s needs, at a point in time.

This technical and problem-solving ability when left isolated and misaligned from company strategies, has allowed for a high level of risk within a business as key market share holders in companies can move from organisation to organisation taking market share with them.

The aim of this report is to understand how technical sales team functions can be harnessed within an organisation and utilised to grow market share, whilst understanding the opportunities that technology integration and the forming of sales team functions can have on mitigating organisational risk and leveraging opportunity.

The methodology comprises of a literature review on sales teams and their changing functions followed by a semi structured interview process with three front line salespeople, three sales managers within the agribusiness sector and three agribusiness owner operators who are customers of technical sales teams, to gain an insight on their experiences and observations.

The analysis of these responses was the creation of codes and subsequently themes that assisted in the formation of the recommendations.

Key findings

Market share growth has become increasingly difficult to achieve with increased competition, dwindling competitive advantage and the exponential growth of resources over the internet.

Both salespeople and management highlighted the changes that the impact of Covid-19 has had on the sales environment.

There is a need for adaptability to not only mitigate risk but also to ensure relationships are maintained and where possible strengthened through the continued ability to offer the technical solutions required in real time.

This has meant the need for technology in sales teams has become vital. The alignment of the sales team and organisational strategy to this technology has become critical to maintain and develop value in the sales transaction.

Recommendations

  • Develop a sales team structure that removes isolated technical sales functions and embeds these into a sales team focussed on end consumer solutions.
  • Build a team that is resilient to changing environments and adaptable to market needs, allow processes to change and analyse performance frequently.
  • Use the technical, relationship focussed sales team members’ feedback on market insights, create a channel for the consumer voice and react to these insights.
  • Embed effective CRM technology into the sales team, ensure this technological solution is fit for purpose for each aspect of the sales team function and adds a technical advantage.
  • Utilise the data input the CRM technology offers, react to the insights gained, and leverage the market based on the data streams available.
  • Align organisational strategies to the CRM technology being used and have clear aims of the requirement for the technology.
  • Ensure your technology solution builds in data to maintain market share and embed intellectual property to mitigate personnel change and allow for succession planning.
  • Train the sales team efficiently on the technology solution, engagement is key to retention, if the right technological solution is outputting the correct data required that is in line with organisation strategy and all staff are trained and engaged then market share growth can occur.

Partial land use diversification for long term sustainability and resilience of sheep and beef farms.

Lucy Murray Kellogg Report image
Lucy Murray Kellogg Report image

Executive summary

This project was completed to understand if sheep and beef farmers in NZ can use partial land use diversification to improve environmental sustainability and farm business resilience.

The reason this was studied is because farmers in New Zealand are facing environmental, social, institutional, and financial pressures.

Many sheep and beef farmers will likely need to make adaptions to their farm systems to remain profitable, improve environmental sustainability and to create more resilient farm systems for the future. One way of adapting the farm systems is through land use diversification.

A literature review was completed, and a series of farmers and industry professionals were interviewed. This data was then assessed through thematic analysis.

Diversification for agriculture is defined as the addition of another source of farm-based income to the existing income stream and it includes the introduction of additional farming enterprises.

Land use diversification can have numerous benefits in sheep and beef farms including, enhanced environmental outcomes, improved profitability and cash flow, enhanced farm resilience, more succession opportunities and a better integrated farm system.

The downfalls highlighted were increased risk to the farm system during development and early stages of land use change, and the initial financial outlay for development and increased complexity.

To reduce the risks of land use change, a comprehensive planning process is required. Some key steps include business planning and goal setting, understanding the biophysical resources, farm planning, matching the land use to land use capacity, climate and soil conditions, farm system modelling and evaluation and trialling.

If farmers in New Zealand can successfully transition their sheep and beef farms to diversified land use systems, it will likely transform the sheep and beef industry throughout the country to overcome environmental challenges and create long term sustainable and resilient farm systems.

Some recommendations to farmers assess the farm as if it is a blank canvas and understand different land use opportunities within the farm system. More research needs to be done on land use options available for different regions.

There is the opportunity to better understand and develop how farmers could use collaboration and catchment groups to aid in the success of land use diversification.

Conclusions

This study proved that partial land use diversification is a real option, one which sheep and beef farmers should consider for overcoming social, environmental, regulatory and financial pressures.

To de-risk the process of land use diversification, research and planning are crucial. Matching the land use to the capability of the biophysical resources is important for ensuring that there are no negative consequences to the environment.

If land use change is well planned and researched it will likely transform farm systems through improved long term financial performance, improved environmental outcomes and increased farm business resilience. 

There is potential to collaborate with other likeminded farmers and create cooperative models for the sharing of infrastructure, resources, and expertise, however more research needs to be done on this. Overall land use diversification is very important for the agricultural sector in New Zealand.

Recommendations

  • Landowners should assess their farm as if it is a blank canvas, identify production and profitability and limitations of different land management units. This will aid in realising the opportunities and inefficiencies within the farm system. Plus, it might help the farmer to realise that land use diversification is a real opportunity.
  • Research the different land use options you are considering, understand the requirements of the crop and the biophysical resources of your land to ensure you match the land use to the capability of the land. Plan for diversification thoroughly.
  • Develop tools which outline land use options and suit the local climate. These could be developed and maintained by regional councils with the use of local climate data and research into land use options. The tools should be accessible to farmers, this would likely de-risk the process of land use change for farmers and provide them with a starting point when considering land use change.
  • Collaboration could be considered with like-minded farmers to build scale and share resources when changes are made to land use. If they decide to do this investigation planning into corporate governance models is recommended.
  • Case studies should be produced on farmers who have been through the process of land use diversification, these could be done by the regional councils to aid farmers in making the change.

Know better. Do better.

Jane Fowles Know Better. Do Better. Kellogg report image
Jane Fowles Know Better. Do Better. Kellogg report image

Executive summary

The New Zealand dairy industry has witnessed a steep growth in the number of workers from the Philippines (Southeast Asia) entering New Zealand to work on dairy farms.

Like any dairy farm worker, there is an importance of keeping these migrant workers safe while working. However, with a different cultural background and a different understanding of health and safety, it can be challenging to build health and safety engagement on farm.

This research report attempts to answer the question: ‘How can we better engage our Filipino dairy farm workers, in Mid-Canterbury, with health and safety on farm?’

To do this, the research looked at general migrant worker barriers to health and safety engagement, how the cultural background of a Filipino influences their behaviour and choices in relation to health and safety and how Filipino cultural dimensions compare to that of New Zealand and New Zealand’s agricultural culture.

Finally, the research looked to understand the role of cultural intelligence in relation to health and safety engagement before providing practical recommendations.

Key Findings:

Filipino migrant workers coming into New Zealand face the same barriers to health and safety engagement that are shared across the world. They have their own unique cultural personality that in some areas is contrasting to the New Zealand cultural personality. Their understanding of what health and safety in New Zealand looks like is varied.

Employers, while possessing a degree of cultural intelligence, could benefit from furthering their leadership skills in this area. Particularly to better lead health and safety engagement and therefore, improving the safety climate on farm.

To better engage Filipino dairy farm workers, in Mid-Canterbury, with health and safety on farm, we must provide a way to assist employers gain better knowledge in the areas of cultural intelligence and health and safety.

That will then lead to everyone doing better and home safer, every day.

Recommendations:

Improve employers and Cultural Intelligence – Know Better, Do Better.

Improve dairy farm employer’s cultural intelligence through learning more about the cultural personalities of their workers. The writer recommends this is done through:

  • Developing a website-based application that employers can access with information about cultural personalities and tips to engage the worker on health and safety.
  • Developing cultural intelligence-based workshops, for employers.
    Improve migrant Worker health and safety Knowledge – Know Better, Do Better.

Promote the importance of health and safety to our Filipino migrant workers. The writer recommends this is done through:

  • Developing a website-based application that migrant workers can access both in New Zealand, and prior to arrival. Including information around hazard identification and management and worker engagement.
  • Developing Filipino migrant worker health and safety workshops.

Know Better. Do Better.

Farmers in governance: an insight into the functions of a farmer elected board.

George Fox Kellogg report image
George Fox Kellogg report image

Executive summary

The board of directors is critical to the success of a business. The board is responsible for approving major strategic and financial decisions and for the critical tasks of both monitoring and partnering with the CEO.

In addition to these roles, the board is a resource, providing perspectives on member needs with their knowledge about agricultural production and agribusiness industries (Kenkel, 2020).

The aim of this report to gain insight into diversity on farmer elected boards and how the integration of independent directors has positively influenced board performance.

This report investigates boards that have a high representation of farmers, to understand whether this dynamic allows best performance, against an increased ratio of independent directors influencing the board performance.

The report also covers the pros and cons of the ward election system. The report contains analysis of key literature, to understand the functions of a high performing board, as well as how diversity fits into the board room. It reviews the ongoing discussion topic of ‘director elections’, using the ward system or across the whole country to understand the impact this has on board performance.

The consideration of these factors provide insight as to where and how farmers could better prepare themselves for director roles.

Key findings:

Within the food and fibre sector, diversity plays a huge role, whether that be on a governance board or in the packing room at an abattoir. It is important to consider that diversity might not be just about what we see, but rather the thought and skills of individuals.

We are very quick to judge organisations on the diversity of their board members when we have very little knowledge on the diversity of thought and skills of those people. Throughout the interviews, it was frequently mentioned that a mix of things such as age, gender and ethnic background was needed to achieve diverse thought and skillsets.

Farmers play a significant part on governance boards within the primary sector. As farmers, we must strive to gain the necessary skills required to become valuable directors of these organisations. We must continue to look to the future with regard to our candidate development, but also not lose sight of the value experienced directors bring.

Recommendations

  • Boards to convey what skill gaps they are seeking to fill at the time of farmer elections so farmers can vote knowing they are putting the right person into the role.
  • Candidates at every election to advertise their skills matrix on the candidate profile form.
  • Farmers with a passion for the progression of the food and fibre sector must seek the necessary skills needed to fill these roles. In turn encouragement must be given to those with the same passion but are less likely to put themselves forward for election.
  • Aspiring directors, work in management before working in governance. Governance roles require experience, and experience comes with higher level management roles within organisations.

“There’s nothing better for board training than having been accountable to a board.”
– Industry Leader

Should New Zealand be trading maize forage on quality parameters?

Fraser Dymond Kellogg report image
Fraser Dymond Kellogg report image

Executive summary

Maize forage is essential to the productivity of the New Zealand dairy sector. It is easily ensiled and provides energy and fibre, which is essential to balance a pasture-based diet.

An estimated 1,164,000 tonnes of maize forage was harvested in 2021. In the 2020/2021 season 24,500 hectares, or 45% of total maize forage planted, was grown off-farm and sold to a purchaser via a contract (Arable Industry Marketing Initiative, 2021a).

Current contracts trade maize forage on dry weight and neglect most facets of forage quality, so the purchaser is unaware of the quality of the product they are receiving. Per cow consumption of maize silage is increasing, so the quality of maize forage becomes more influential and important to the purchaser.

This report seeks to quantify the variation in maize forage quality in New Zealand and how the grower can influence it to enable trading maize forage on quality parameters.

Key findings:

  • Growers can positively influence maize forage quality but are not rewarded by the purchaser, so it is not the priority in their decision-making.

  • Starch is the critical influencer of maize forage quality.

  • There is significant variation in maize forage quality in New Zealand. Starch content has been seen to range from 15 – 40%DM1, neutral detergent fibre from 33.4 – 50%DM and metabolisable energy from 9.5 – 11.3 MJME/kg DM2. This variation creates significant differences in production potential for the purchaser.

  • Maize forage quality can be influenced by hybrid choice, agronomic management, and the environment. The environment cannot be controlled, so strategies that create resilience in the growing system are essential.

  • There is limited New Zealand-based data available for growers and advisors on how to influence maize forage quality.

  • The common method of sampling maize forage for analysis is unlikely to cope with paddock variation, caused by a changing climate and variable soil types.

Recommendations:

  • Research and provide educative resources on how agronomic decisions affect maize forage quality. This should be conducted by maize seed wholesalers and independent industry bodies, such as the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR).

  • Create independent data comparing all commercially available maize hybrids for forage quality. This should be conducted by an independent industry body such as FAR or DairyNZ.

  • Calibrate and certify the use of near-infrared spectrometry (NIR) in forage harvesters as an accurate measure of whole plant dry matter and quality parameters. Allow open entry to promote competition and innovation. This will need to be proven by the manufacturers and forage contracts amended by the Forage Trading Development Group.

  • Create educative resources to extend the understanding of growers and purchasers on the accuracy of NIR technology as an assessment of quality parameters. This should be an industry approach, including DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, Contractors Association, FAR and the Forage Trading Development Group.