kellogg

Aotearoa’s agricultural sector plays a key role in the nation’s economy and sustainable future. It is a key driver of the country’s future economic prosperity, with exports from it projected to reach $67 billion by 2030.

However, this prosperity faces significant challenges. Access to capital is constraining the sector’s sustainability, productivity, and transition to the next generation of farmers. Traditional funding models, heavily reliant on debt, no longer fit the needs of the next farming generation. The sector needs to adapt current funding models and explore innovative funding approaches that bridge this growing capital gap, forecast to reach between $110 billion and $125 billion by 2050.

This report investigates these. The findings and recommendations offer approaches to delivering patient capital models and assisting in the development of investable and highly productive farming businesses in the face of future challenges.

Methodology

This study explores the sector’s capital constraints, why the current model is no longer fit for purpose and alternative funding models through a literature review. It supplements this with a qualitative analysis of insights from 13 semi-structured interviews. These insights are synthesised using thematic analysis, compared against the literature review, and identified opportunities to support the sector’s next phase of growth.

Key Findings

Analysis of the key themes from the literature review and interviews found that:

• Current debt-reliant capital models are not fit for -purpose, particularly given the looming climate challenges and the productivity goals we want to achieve for better standards of living.
• Regulatory and structural challenges exist in current models that would benefit from adjustment, such as loosening capital holding requirements for Agri lending and restrictiveness on foreign direct investment.
• Alternative sources of debt and capital are important to assist with the investments required.
• It is important that this capital does not just simply funnel into corporate models as it has in the past. These entities often underperform compared to the traditional owneroperator due to lack of the “love” differential, which is a key driver of profit.
• A hybrid ‘owner-occupier/corporate model’ may be a solution that retains the characteristics of individual ownership and ‘boots on the ground’ while adopting some of the processes, disciplines and financial acumen typical of larger corporate structures. This makes the placement of different forms of capital more viable while maintaining a profitable hands on approach.
• Farmers entering this model would likely need support to build deeper commercial acumen to develop bankable/investable opportunities.
• Advisors have a key role to play in this to support farmers, potentially alongside industry bodies exploring a start-up incubation-type approach.

Recommendations

For Policy Makers:

• Review capital holding regulations requiring the main banks to hold more capital on Agri loans.
• Review current Overseas Investment Office regulations that governs Foreign Direct Investment to make New Zealand less restrictive on foreign capital investment flows, focusing on greater economic benefits while protecting our unique values and world view including that of whenua Māori and Te ao Māori.

For Lenders:

• Explore alternative working capital models
• Utilise sustainable lending as a tool to incentivise all environmental improvements, not just as a tool for new lending

For Processor Partners:

• Explore the provision of working capital support to assist new entrants into the market hedged by future production.

For industry bodies:

• Explore expanding advisory support and training for growth-oriented new farmers; cross-pollination between the entrepreneurial start-up sector and models like incubation and acceleration to support entities to be “capital-ready” and innovation-led
• Support and expand on initiatives like the Dairy Graduate Programme

For Institutional Investors & Private Capital:

• Develop an Agri-investment strategy
• Collaborate with key industry advisory players to explore a model that provides a vehicle to invest in smaller transaction sizes to reduce the risk of corporate nonperformance and diversify portfolio

For Farm & Agri Advisors

• Further develop the financial advisory aspect of your practice to support farming businesses in developing their business acumen.
• Support farmers to develop an ‘Owner Operator/Corporate hybrid model’

For agritech entrepreneurs

• Explore opportunities in the development of agritech/fintech solutions both in the data aggregation space for credit and risk management as well as in retail investment models into agriculture

For Farmers:

• Develop a clear view of your goals & vision and where different forms of capital fit within this; the same model won’t fit all
• Be open to exploring different capital models to assist you in reaching your goals
• Consider exploring an ‘Owner Operator/Corporate hybrid model’ with external investment partners
• Grow your understanding of your financial and risk profile
• Work with trusted advisors on developing your farming business model and building business acumen to be able to present this to potential partners, lenders and investors.

The dairy sector is a cornerstone of New Zealand’s economy, contributing significantly to national and regional prosperity. In the year ending March 2023, dairy exports generated nearly $26 billion, making up about one in every four export dollars. The dairy sector also provides substantial value-added contributions, delivering $11.3 billion to the economy.

Dairy farming supports regional economies by creating well-paying jobs and sustaining local communities. For example, Canterbury alone generates nearly $3.75 billion from dairy and employs around 55,000 people (DairyNZ, 2023).

Although there is a strong dairy economy around New Zealand, not every farm is prospering and there can be significant differences in profit across New Zealand dairy farms and within regions. The root cause of these variances are not always clear or consistent, but there is strong evidence to suggest that it is largely driven by technical and decision making skills of the individuals making the decisions for the farms.

So what are these skills? This research paper aims to look into the skills with a high correlation with profit and explores the possible impact of strengthening these skills both on a micro and macro scale. By focusing on key skills that drive profitability, both individual farms and the sector as a whole can achieve greater economic well-being and resilience.

Objectives include comparing regional skill levels, investigating influencing factors, and developing recommendations to improve skills on less profitable farms. The study will assess the opportunities to improve farm profitability through training and education. Aiming to provide strategies for continuous education and professional development to boost profitability and support the dairy industry’s growth.

The methodology involves utilizing DairyNZ’s DairyBase system to gather comprehensive data of on farm performance across various regions in New Zealand, focusing on key performance indicators (KPIs) related to profitability. The collected data is analysed to identify high and low performing farms based on profitability metrics, categorizing them into respective groups for further analysis. Quantitative analysis is conducted to identify patterns and correlations between skill levels and farm profitability, using statistical methods to determine the significance of various factors that correlate highly with profit. Finally, the industry data is used to identify skills or areas that have the highest impact on farm profitability and the impacts this could have at individual farm, regional and national levels.

The key findings emphasize the importance of strategic business management, identifying and addressing gaps, and regional analysis for improving farm profitability. Strategic business management involves taking a step back to gain perspective through benchmarking, business planning, and financial analysis. This helps farmers pinpoint areas needing improvement and understand the economic impact of various practices and investments.

Regional analysis of DairyBase data from Waikato and Canterbury highlights that highly profitable farms excel in maximizing pasture and crop consumption per hectare, minimizing operating expenses, and achieving high labour efficiency. These areas show the most significant correlation with profit. Training opportunities should be made available to farmers to support development in these areas, as improving these skills could lead to substantial economic benefits for both individual farms and the sector as a whole. Further research into skills with a high correlation with profit is recommended to enhance the overall prosperity of the dairy industry.

Recommendations for Decision-Makers:

Training Providers: Develop and deliver targeted training programs focusing on both strategic and operational aspects of dairy farming. This includes financial management and planning, benchmarking and performance analysis, pasture and crop management, operational efficiency, and leadership development. By offering these programs as micro-credentials, formal recognition of skills and knowledge can be provided and it also allows for courses to be funded, making the training more attractive and accessible to farmers.

Industry Bodies: Support and promote these training initiatives to ensure widespread adoption. Highlight the importance of strategic planning and operational efficiency in improving farm profitability. Encourage farmers to participate in these programs by showcasing success stories and providing resources that make it easier for them to engage in continuous learning.

Farmers: Investing in training for both oneself and the workforce can significantly enhance farm operations and profitability. It’s important to understand the business and individual situations, look for opportunities to benchmark the business through systems such as Dairybase, and then consider opportunities for improvement based on the findings, whether in business, technical, or operational skill development.

Other Stakeholders: Banks, dairy processors, and other sector partners should encourage and recognize the completion of these training programs. For example, banks could offer better loan terms to farmers who have completed financial management courses, while dairy processors could link incentives with accreditation of training which supports business resilience, efficiency and sustainability practices. By fostering these partnerships, the sector can create a supportive environment that values continuous learning and improvement.

By providing targeted training programs in strategic and operational aspects of dairy farming, the sector can enhance farm operations and profitability. Industry support and incentives from stakeholders will foster continuous learning, benefiting both farmers, the sector and the NZ economy.

With a changing New Zealand climate causing more frequent and more severe dry spells, including in regions previously seen as less vulnerable, the reliability of supplying food to meet our goals and expectations is in question. As we are fortunate to have available freshwater, irrigation has been widely used in certain regions to combat the dry. If future irrigation is proposed, farmer uptake is crucial to the success of the scheme, but farmers need to understand if it can work for them or if the required change is too great.

The problem is, how does a pastoral farmer, when presented with or investigating an opportunity for irrigation water supply, know whether taking up the opportunity will provide an overall benefit? Not just to the farmer but will it be sustainable for the environment and their community hence the question of Is the Grass Greener under Irrigation?

The aim is to provide an informative resource for would-be irrigation users by firstly understanding the climate predictions, available water and current Irrigation in New Zealand, Then the known impacts and opinions of irrigation are analysed before answering the research question as to the overall benefit, or otherwise of irrigation to pastoral farmers.

Research methodology involves a literature review, to ensure context for the topic and to critically analyse existing research and studies relating to the report objectives. This is followed by a series of semi-structured interviews with professionals and a survey of existing pastoral users of irrigation with thematic analysis used to identify the key themes.

Key findings include:

New Zealand is experiencing climate change meaning the North and East of the country will experience a higher frequency of drought (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, n.d.) but fortunately New Zealand has a relative abundance of freshwater at four times the global average (Business and Economic Research Ltd, 2019).

Over 900,000 hectares of land is currently irrigated in NZ (Irrigation New Zealand, n.d.). It was found that the introduction of irrigation often brings about three waves of ownership change and land use change (McCrostie Little & Taylor, 2001). The required change can have a strong impact on lifestyle and well-being.

Nitrate leaching and unsustainable water use are widely regarded as the major concerns resulting from agricultural intensification (Te Ara, 2024). It is argued that whilst irrigation enables agricultural intensification, irrigation is not the main contributing factor to poor water quality however, improved irrigation management and technology adoption can significantly reduce the overall environmental impact.

Irrigation contributes significantly to the economy with estimates that irrigation, including beyond the farm gate, adds at least $5.4 billion to NZ’s GDP (Corong et al, 2014, as cited in Irrigation New Zealand, 2018). In dryer regions, irrigated land produces three times as much produce as the equivalent area not irrigated (Heiler, 2008, as cited in Te Ara, 2024). This supports the primary purpose of irrigation in pastoral farming: Improving pasture reliability and productivity (Mcbride 1994). The additional feed produced under irrigation comes at a greater cost so ensuring a high return from that production is vital.

The recommendations to would-be irrigated pastoral farmers are to consider if adopting irrigation and potentially changing their farming system and lifestyle will align with what is important to them. Also, measuring and recording data is imperative to understand how irrigation will affect the property. Lastly, before adopting irrigation, farmers should complete a cost-benefit analysis of the many variations of their existing system and potential systems and land uses under varying proportions of areas irrigated.

New Zealand sheep and beef farmers can face volatility from multiple directions at any one time. Particularly in the form of unpredictable climatic conditions and fluctuating product values/input costs. When these occur simultaneously as many farmers have recently experienced, it puts a tremendous strain on the farmer’s businesses, and the farmers themselves.

The following report aims to analyse how high performing farm businesses reach and sustain the levels of performance, resilience and wellbeing they do. Through a literature review and semi structured interviews this could be uncovered. A thematic analysis was carried out which helped determine how performance, resilience and wellbeing could be sustained when faced with climatic extremes and reduced cashflow. The relationship between these elements could then be understood.

Key findings included:

• A clear vision and plan positively contribute to, high performance, resilience and wellbeing. A portfolio of strategies can then be developed to face challenges.
• Positive relationships and value of connection were core drivers of success in challenging times.
• ‘Sticking to their knitting’ and focusing on their most profitable enterprise ensured sustained performance. Strong awareness of their farm system and a large trading stock component allowed this.
• A growth and curiosity mindset led to a more effective response to challenges and increased performance through innovation and creativity.
• By pursing high performance and excellence, farmers also positively influenced resilience and wellbeing.

Recommendations for early career farmers included:

• Develop a clear vision and strategic plan, with a focus on preserving condition of capital stock and maintaining a buffer of feed.
• Focus on flexibility, decrease lower performing capital stock numbers and increase trading component.
• Improve relationships and networks, surround yourself with positive people and endeavour to help others as they will help you in return.
• Enhance resilience and grit, build a portfolio of strategies and persevere in the face of challenges. Remain self-aware to avoid burnout.
• Adopt a mindset of curiosity and growth. Innovate, try new things and learn from setbacks.
• Prioritise wellbeing, incorporate the ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ into daily practices.

Background

The New Zealand beef cattle industry is a significant contributor to New Zealand’s export revenue. As modern farm systems have increased in scale, understanding of animal behaviour has declined. Cattle handlers have reverted to natural tendencies attempting to work cattle using fear and predator-type aggression. This behaviour increases the risk of injuries to both people and cattle resulting in devalued product and people leaving the industry. Handling cattle poorly risks the loss of consumer trust in New Zealand beef cattle farm systems.

Low stress handling is a higher form of stockmanship with techniques that enable those in charge of livestock to effectively manage animal psychology and wellbeing. Benefits from improved handling include operational efficiency, improved livestock production, and optimised product value.

Aims and Objectives

This report aims to:

• Gain understanding of low stress cattle handling and how it can be applied in New Zealand.
• Show the effects that improved cattle handling have on people, cattle and cattle products.
• Acquire insight to current handling training systems and seek opportunities for improvement.
• Review handling training standards of New Zealand and overseas farm assurance programs.

Methodology

Information was gathered from various literature including scientific articles, current industry data, and social media posts. Much of the information was sourced from overseas but reviewed in a New Zealand context.

Interviews were carried out with a range of industry participants. Questions were designed to encourage discussion, thereby gaining insight to ensure the project outcomes were relevant.

Key Findings

Low stress handling principles benefit individuals and the combined New Zealand Food and Fibre sector. Culturally implementing better livestock handling in New Zealand will require leadership at all levels of industry from regulators, educators, agricultural service providers, and producers.

Low stress cattle handling is a higher level of stockmanship correlating strongly with people leadership.

Recommendations

1. Review educational standards and training resources to ensure they take full advantage of best practices both in New Zealand and overseas.
2. Ensure on-farm training is carried out by skilled, not just experienced people who understand the complexities of stockmanship and their coaching and mentoring role.
3. Utilise external providers, and other resources as they become available to build capability on farm and within service and processing companies.
4. Reflect on progress as it happens, be involved in the process and enjoy success.

New Zealand is home to an incredible product: lean beef and lamb. In today’s health-conscious world, people are more focused than ever on their nutrition, striving to enhance their diets with wholesome foods. Despite this growing awareness, many still lack essential knowledge about nutrition and the potential deficiencies that can arise. Malnutrition remains a significant concern both in New Zealand and around the world.

New Zealand beef and lamb are packed with essential vitamins and minerals. These delicious products offer flavour and a convenient and enjoyable way to nourish your body. Thus, when promoting New Zealand beef and lamb, it is crucial to emphasize their nutritional benefits; it needs to be part of the story. Whether in local markets or on the international stage, highlighting the value of these exceptional products can inspire consumers to make informed choices that positively impact their health and well-being.

Significant research and media discussion have focused on why red meat is considered unhealthy. This research aims to create a positive perspective on New Zealand’s beef and lamb nutritional benefits and acknowledge why it is important to promote these. This research examines why lean red meat is good for your immune system, brain health, and weight management, as well as some challenges and opportunities in promoting this to the customer. This is crucial for New Zealand to highlight the role of red meat in a balanced diet, as this opens significant market opportunities with consumers increasingly recognizing the health benefits of high-quality meat.

The methodology comprises a literature review, semi-structured interviews with Industry leaders, representatives, geneticists, and nutritionists, and an analysis of websites, social media, podcasts, and short videos. This data was used to form a balanced view of the nutritional benefits of beef and Lamb and gain insights into the current challenges in the NZ market regarding the promotion of nutritional benefits and the opportunities that exist.

Key Findings

New Zealand beef and lamb offer a rich source of vitamins and minerals beneficial for immune support, weight management, and overall brain health. Whole foods are encouraged over supplements, highlighting the nutritional advantages of grass-fed New Zealand beef and lamb, particularly in Omega-3 levels.

Consumer awareness of red meat’s nutritional content is increasing, with a demand for high-protein, low-saturated fat options rich in essential nutrients. However, conflicting information and sensationalized media coverage create confusion regarding red meat, complicating informed decision-making for consumers.

Nutrition can be inherited and improved through selective breeding of sheep and cattle, presenting opportunities for better animal health and product quality in New Zealand’s livestock system. The current focus remains on quantity rather than quality, potentially undermining the opportunity to enhance superior meat characteristics and align with consumer preferences for high-quality products.

Current trends show that New Zealanders consume less lamb than beef. New Zealander’s total red meat consumption per person may be less than the recommended levels by the Ministry of Health.

Recommendations

• Nutrition should remain an essential aspect of New Zealand’s meat narrative, even if it is not the primary focus; this will enhance the New Zealand story and help meet consumer demands.
• Further investigation into omega-3 levels in New Zealand lamb and beef could support changes in food standards, officially recognizing omega-3 as a health benefit, which may boost consumer interest and demand.
• Innovative strategies are needed to educate vulnerable populations, such as pregnant individuals and young people, about the critical role of red meat in nutrition.
• Further research into the relationship between animal diets and human nutrition could yield valuable insights and align with New Zealand’s current grass-fed point of difference. To enhance the credibility of the conclusions drawn through facts and data.
• Advances in genetics and animal nutrition present opportunities to develop niche products that enhance nutritional value and flavour, appealing to health-conscious consumers.

This report explores the evolving landscape of gene technology in New Zealand, focusing on the implications of genetic modification (GM) and the New Breeding Techniques (NBTs) for the agricultural sector. Gene technology has revolutionized agriculture globally, offering solutions for pressing challenges such as food security, climate change mitigation, and sustainable farming practices. However, in New Zealand, stringent regulation has limited the adoption of gene technologies in agriculture, creating a complex environment where scientific potential must be balanced with environmental and public concerns.

The research analyses New Zealand’s current regulatory framework, governed by the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act. In contrast to global practices where GMOs are widespread, New Zealand’s stringent regulations make it a laggard in gene technology adoption. Recent discussions about potential updates to the regulations reflect a shift towards a more adaptive approach, potentially opening opportunities for New Zealand to capitalize on gene technology while maintaining an acceptable balance with environmental, health, and ethical risks.

The report breaks down the distinctions between GMOs and gene-edited organisms, presenting an overview of different techniques, regulatory challenges, and the limitations of existing laws. A significant focus is placed on understanding public perception, including insights from the Māori perspective, emphasizing the cultural considerations.

Case studies highlight the practical applications of gene technology in agriculture worldwide and offer comparisons to current practices in New Zealand. Benefits such as improved crop resilience, economic gains, and contributions to climate change mitigation are described along with potential environmental and health risks.

The report concludes by outlining the potential of gene technology to support New Zealand’s agricultural prosperity while ensuring that the regulatory framework evolves to balance innovation with caution. The findings aim to support informed decision-making among New Zealanders regarding the future of gene technology in their agricultural systems.

The dichotomy of shedding and woolly sheep breeds has become a ubiquitous well publicised topic. Outcomes of generational and incredibly complex macro environments have caused farmers to face difficult times. Through crisis, we are forced to become innovative to survive looking to other breeds and diversification. Amongst a continued global financial crisis, the latest report presents worsened forecasts directing the sector to a very negative financial outlook. (Beef and Lamb NZ, 2023-24). Although the outlook appears negative as an industry with innovative thinking and foresight there are options to counteract some of the downturn. (Scobie, D, 2022). Some farmers have had no choice but to take the initiative to make strategic business decisions to innovate and change their farming policy adapting to the current global economic and environmental situation. These decisions have had to increase productivity and reduce costs.

The purpose of the report is to encourage Changing the path of New Zealand Sheep Farming – The Revolutionary Road to Adaptive Shedding Sheep and a Sustainable Farming Strategy. The importance of this report is to authentically reveal and understand shedding sheep in their entirety outlining the benefits they bring financially, physically and environmentally.

The key question for this study is Shed or Shear?

• Understand Breed differences – Identifying pros and cons of shedding sheep and strong wool breeds.
• Breed Economic Comparisons – Evaluation of changing breeds and cost analysis.
• The Supply and Demand of Meat and Fibre – Supply, Demand and Consumer Perceptions.
• Drench Resistance Epidemic – Solutions through Genetics.
• Psychology and Resistance to Change – Farmer Sentiment and Innovation.

This report determines the change to shedding sheep will give financial and environmental stability and the wellbeing farmers deserve. Critical analysis of various research reports within a literature review state and outlines the benefits of shedding sheep collaborated with the findings presenting a potential for balance within the sector for those continuing to farm strong wool sheep. A questionnaire was completed by various sheep farmers and industry experts. This highlights the key findings of reasons to change to shedding sheep. These include reduced labour and all costs, enhanced animal health, welfare and ethical practices, higher productivity, reduced health and safety risks, enhanced farmer wellbeing and less environmental impact.

Anthelmintic resistance is a major productivity issue in sheep farming. Genetics, farming strategies and pasture management are effective measures of managing parasite burden. Resistance to change breeds is mostly traditional mindset, genetic barriers and the hope for the return of a decent wool revenue.

Rectifying wool returns would take masses of humanity’s mindset change to the use of Wool, reduction in supply chain costs, banning of synthetic fibres and/or sustainable standard enforcements for cooperations using fibre and a significant change to shedding sheep for any sheep farmers. All actions listed are necessary to create a significant demand for wool.

Future steps discovered through limitations will be to grow recently established shedding sheep breeder’s societies, genetic research and recording of shedding breeds, reveal evidence for urgency, communicate vision, remove obstacles, set genetic goals and targets and to build on genetic material and potential branding of shedding sheep meat.

This report looks into the trusted sources of advice for New Zealand kiwifruit growers during biosecurity and adverse weather events, with a focus on understanding the drivers of trust within the industry.

The research was conducted through a combination of literature review, grower survey, and a select number of in-depth interviews with industry leaders.

Findings highlight the critical role that trust plays in crisis response management (such as adverse weather and biosecurity events) and provide key insights into how trust is built, maintained, and leveraged during times of uncertainty and urgency.

From the literature review, findings reveal that trust is largely influenced by the reliability, transparency, and integrity of the information source. In the horticultural / agricultural / rural space, both personal and organisational relationships play significant roles in building trust. However, the literature suggests that personal relationships, such as face-to-face interactions with known and experienced individuals, often carry more weight in high-stress situations.

The grower survey and interviews align with these insights, showing that growers and industry leaders tend to trust individuals they have regular contact with – such as post-harvest representatives and peers – rather than the organisation or group per se that they represent. While organisations like Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) are trusted and respected for their leadership and strategic role in managing responses, personal relationships with experienced and reliable individuals are also considered very trusted sources during a crisis.

Key themes from the interviews and survey reinforce the importance of:

Timely and transparent communication
New Zealand kiwifruit growers (and the industry personnel who directly support them) expect continuous, clear, and honest updates, even when all details are not yet available and there are no major changes to the situation at that point in time.

Personal relationships
Trust is closely tied to familiarity with individuals who have demonstrated reliability and integrity over time.

Organisational credibility
While personal relationships are paramount, organisations like KVH and Zespri are still trusted for their authoritative roles, particularly in biosecurity and weather-related adverse responses, and the credibility of well-known, long-term, experienced staff adds to this.

Unified industry responses
The need for a coordinated and unified response from the entire industry, with all organisations aligned, is crucial to maintaining trust and ensuring effective adverse event response management.

In ? We Trust

In all, the research shows that trust within the kiwifruit industry is multifaceted, and deeply rooted in both personal relationships and organisational credibility that has been built up over time. Effective response management relies on leveraging both these elements through reliable, timely communication, and strong leadership.

This report recommends maintaining a flexible and scalable response framework, enhancing communication strategies, and fostering personal and group/organisational relationships to further build (and sustain) trust within the industry during emergency adverse events. These responsibilities sit within KVH as lead agency responsible for co-ordinating responses, and the industry personnel they work alongside.

Background

Throughout rural New Zealand there are farmers who tend to be recognised by both peers and professionals as being better at their chosen field than others. This is the primal competitive nature of humans.

In high performance sports, where the elite athlete competes, the margin between success and failure can be very small, and the slightest advantage is often the difference. This critical difference is referred to as the “one percent”, and assumes core fundamentals are already done well, as with farming.

Aims & Objectives

The use of sports psychology to derive that one percent advantage over the competition has become widely accepted and implemented by professional athletes competing at the highest level.

For a farmer, who is already recognised as operating at a high level, what is the one percent advantage that could take them to ‘elite’?

This paper investigates whether the use of SP tools could be that one percent advantage, what the most applicable tools are and how they might be implemented.

Methodology

The methodology incorporates both a literature review and semi-structured interviews. The latter proving most valuable for qualitative insight and findings given the lack of specific validated research on the use of sports psychology by top farmers. By interviewing three distinct groups of ‘experts’ across sports and farming conclusions were able to be drawn by contrasting the themes in their responses.

Key Findings

As with the use of sports psychology by elite athletes, the tools identified could potentially have some positive impact for a top farmer seeking a little extra edge to get ahead.

None are new, but with more conscious and regular application of those tools that best suit the individual, better outcomes are possible. Given that farming is not a competitive sport as such the use of sports psychology tools will be more subtle and likely have a greater intrinsic personal benefit then an immediate overt, physical outcome.

Consistency is essential for sustained improvement.

Recommendations for Farmers

• When completing normal daily diary entries, consider adding notes relating to mental preparation and execution, as well as a rating for the day in reflecting on the wins and ‘work-on’s’.
• As part of a business goal setting process include improvement of key mental skills too.
• Continue developing strengths, not just weaknesses, as these strengths have contributed to the current level of success. Neglecting the strengths will result in mediocre outcomes.
• The use of a performance coach, or mental skills expert (even if only occasional) will provide fresh perspective and a more holistic view.

Recommendations for Stakeholders

By giving greater consideration to why and how decisions and actions occur on farm, based on the performance psychology of the farmer concerned, better insight is gained enabling more accurate and informed judgement calls in a subjective area.