5 minutes with Claire Nicholson

New Farmlands board member Claire Nicholson talks about her background and how her Māori heritage informs her vision for sustainable agriculture.

Tell us about your experience and how you believe this will help Farmlands?

I come from dairy farming families with long histories in the Horowhenua and Taranaki and more recently Southland. This farming background inspired me – along with the James Herriot ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ books – to become a veterinarian. My 30-year career has taken me along paths I would never have considered as I was working my way towards a vet degree at Massey University. My clinical career started with dairy practice in Morrinsville and then my OE started in North Wales followed by a move to small animal practice in London before returning to Tauranga. This was followed by a shift to Auckland which saw me join a pharmaceutical company where I looked after the national dairy portfolio and latterly became the country manager. This role gave me a much deeper understanding of the animal health issues facing farmers and through research, enabled the development of solutions that were both practical and improved profitability. This role also gave me insight into supplier companies – such as Farmlands – and the need to identify quality products, ensure supply chain reliability and provide technical support so their customers get the best possible solutions and service. With the establishment of my own company, I have continued along the path of solutions-driven product development working closely with sheep, beef and dairy farmers in the research phases. In addition to my operational expertise, I also have experience on a range of boards in the agri sector including research and development, Māori agribusiness and environmental entities. This gives me a diverse, strategic view of both the current and future challenges farming faces and insight into the technologies and services being developed to help farmers maintain a profitable, sustainable business that meets the requirements of regulations and compliance that are constantly being thrown at them.

You are of Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine and Ngāti Kahungunu descent – how do you think Te Ao Māori (The Māori world view) can help shape the future sustainability of agri-business?

Māori-owned agribusinesses are intergenerational businesses that are increasingly using Te Ao Māori as the lens from which to look through to guide their long-term vision. Te Ao Māori brings holistic, integrated and pragmatic perspectives to agribusinesses that seek meaningful and impactful outcomes. It looks at the world of farming as the synergistic functioning of many parts. Maanakitangi and whanaungatanga are foundational values of Māori culture that emphasise the importance of relationships, togetherness and a sense of family connection. Our farming strategies include how we can care for our people – past, present and future – keeping them safe, healthy and connected to their whenua (land) and community, with the preservation of tikanga (culture). It also considers partnerships and collaboration with entities that have similar values and which will have synergistic benefits. Kaitiakitanga (guardianship for people, place and planet) is a responsibility to look after resources and the environment for future generations. It considers the health of: • Our land – soil quality and waste management. • Our water – management of effluent and nutrients, protection with riparian planting and fencing, regular monitoring of streams and runoffs into the moana (sea) all leading to the restoration of the original biodiversity. • Our animals – ensuring their welfare is a paramount consideration in all activities and interventions.

• Our air – putting a strong focus on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the implementation of technologies and management practices.

| Claire Nicholson takes a look at riparian planting in Matakana.

• Economics – ensuring the financial success of the business with astute investments in systems and inputs that align with Te Ao Māori values. Sustainability will come from the careful consideration of the impact that any single action or decision will have on all these factors.

What advice would you give to help farmers who want to be more sustainable but also increase productivity and lift their bottom line?

Begin with a strong Farm Environment Plan. Look at your farm as if it were a blank canvas, understand the capability and determine what would be the best way to optimise it in the future then think about the steps required to get there. Bite the steps off in manageable chunks and allow yourself time – Rome wasn’t built in a day. Assess your baseline – it is important to know where you are starting with measurables such as water quality, nutrient run-off, soil health and greenhouse gas emissions. Set points in your plan where you re-measure these variables. We all need to see positive improvements to keep us motivated at times. It also allows you to make modifications to your plan if things are not quite working. Plant trees! Not only can they help provide a carbon offset and reduce net emissions across the farm, they provide shelter and shade for animals, improving their welfare while allowing more energy to go into production. Trees improve soil stability especially in low-producing land areas, encourage the return of a greater diversity of birds and insects, and where natives are used as riparian planting, improve water quality through a natural filtration system. Be open to diversity and change – what used to work may no longer be the best option. With the drive to reduce stocking rates, a move towards feeds that have lower greenhouse gas emissions, changes to soil inputs, a worldwide focus on animal welfare and the reduction of chemical inputs into the food chain, a more discerning approach is required to select inputs that generate the same profitability when compared with previous management choices. Keep talking! We are all learning in this space and the value of talking to neighbors and advisors to unravel the mysteries and learn from their experiences as well as sharing your own is vital.