AginED
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FOR E FUTURIA G R R S! U E N E R P
Volume 81 I November 8th, 2021 I email: agined@globalHQ.co.nz I www.farmersweekly.co.nz/agined
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Regenerative Agriculture Nov 5th!
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE IS A HOT TOPIC PRESENTLY WITH PLENTY OF FUTURE POTENTIAL BOTH LOCALLY AND ON A GLOBAL MARKET. Most people have heard of “regenerative agriculture” and currently there are many perceptions of what exactly this is.
What is your definition of regenerative agriculture? In New Zealand regenerative agriculture has a fluid and somewhat undefined definition, BHU Future Farming Centre head Dr Charles Merfield does not think that this is a negative thing. “I think it could be a bad idea for regen to start getting too tightly defined (with) too many standards constraining it – that could limit its potential,” Merfield said. He believes that without currently being constrained by too many prescriptive beliefs there is the ability to explore and adapt which allows proponents to work with what the markets (both domestic and internationally) want and expect. Head to https://farmersweekly.co.nz/s/fw-article/call-forcare-over-regenerative-definition-MCEH32EKRH7ZA4TJH6NBY BXVWOXA?fbclid=IwAR3Yjc _ RquA3INAQqE3XdN1Q-zIAv94esUc19zkx3CCX5ZWZtlH7yP _ W8Y to read more on this topic and then answer the following questions. 1 What is the lesson that Merfield believes can be learnt from organics? 2 Why do some people have a negative view of regenerative agriculture? Merfield believes that some of the negativity associated with regenerative agriculture can be negated by correctly factoring in what is already being done well (in line with regenerative outcomes) on farm and recording these and then doing what? 3 The five reports referred to in the article list four key agricultural sectors, what are these? 4 What are five outcomes that are being sought by representatives of these sector groups?
Having depression is like walking through mud every day. So, on Friday November 5th together with your teachers and classmates, we asked if you could show your support, put your gumboots on and give a gold coin donation. Did your class get together and raise money and awareness for the I am Hope Foundation on Gumboot Friday? Send us a picture at agined@globalhq.co.nz
NEW ZEALAND AGRIBUSINESS CO-OPERATIVES
Co-operatives are defined as people-centered businesses, owned and controlled by their members, in which profits generated are either reinvested in the enterprise or shared by the members. NZ has a long co-operatives history with the first dairy co-operative established in 1871. Over the years, agribusiness co-operatives increased in numbers and evolved in terms of ownership and governance structures as well as within / across sectors. The development of agribusiness co-operatives was a response to seeing benefit from economies of scale, the timing of capital investments, improving bargaining power, risk management, and the existence of statutory support in some industries. Agribusiness co-operatives play an important role in the NZ economy. The top 15 agribusiness co-operatives account for 70% of all co-operative revenue, 59% of assets and 78% of employees. The United Nations (UN) has consistently ranked NZ amongst the top three most co-operative economies in the world. Co-operatives, as important businesses in our society, are engaging strongly with the sustainable development agenda. The UN identified that co-operatives are playing an important role in order to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Master of Agribusiness student Kasanita ‘Ofa studied how NZ agri-food cooperatives are responding to the SDG. Her results revealed that cooperatives are committed to looking after the integrated environmental and economic system as their priority, e.g., achieving economic expansion and growth without a decline in environmental and social goals. See Figure below:
Contribution of agri-food cooperatives in NZ to SDGs
QUESTIONS:
1 Can you think of examples of agribusiness cooperatives in the dairy, sheep & beef, kiwifruit, fertiliser, insurance and farm supplies industries? 2 What are the UN’s 2030 sustainable development goals?
Environmental Econonomic
Social
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AGRIBUSINESS, AGRI-FOOD VALUE CHAINS, FARM MANAGEMENT? CHECK OUT THE BACHELOR OF AGRIBUSINESS https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/programme-course/ programme.cfm?prog _ id=93420
3 Referring to the figure, which goals are NZ’s agribusiness cooperatives meeting most often? Which goal are they not currently meeting?
1 What is the latest US imported 95CL price? 2 How does it compare to year-ago levels and the five-year average? 3 What does ‘lb’ mean and why is it used for US $/kg values?
STRETCH YOURSELF: 1 What is the percentage difference between the latest 95CL value and the same time last year? 2 Demand from China has picked up for 95CL bull beef, why would this affect the price that the US is paying? 3 What does ‘95CL’ beef mean? What defines it and how does it differ from 90CL. 4 If the price for 95CL/bull beef continues to lift, how do you think this will affect store bull prices?
Fill ya boots Spring is typically when grass grows faster than stock can eat it and supplementary feed can be made to use at other times during the year.
1 Name three types of supplementary feed that is. 2 How is each type of supplementary feed made and is there a specific time of year it’s made? 3 What animals is it typically fed to? 4 How is it usually stored?
STRETCH YOURSELF: 1 Does any special equipment need to be used to feed it out? 2 What are the benefits of each type of supplementary feed that you have listed? 3 How does the nutritional composition differ between each type of feed? I.e. which feed has the highest level or protein? Which has the highest amount of fibre?