BUSINESS BOMA CONFERENCE
NZ Merino embraces regenerative agriculture Words by: Anne Lee
T
he New Zealand Merino Company’s approach to regenerative agriculture could provide an example for other primary sectors on how to engage with and harness the growing movement. Dave Maslen is the general manager of markets and sustainability at the New Zealand Merino Company and says the ZQRX index, launched in February, shows where farmers are on their regenerative journey and allows customers and consumers to engage more closely with the producers of the clothes, shoes or wool products they’re using or wearing. He explained the genesis and development of the index at the Boma New Zealand Ari Summit: E Tipu in Christchurch last month. The index has the company’s quality assurance standard ZQ at its heart with farmers having to meet the standards that cover animal welfare, environment and social responsibility.
“...we needed a model that reflected the nuances of regenerative agriculture, that reflects the interaction between land and people and animals and soils and plants.” The ZQ standard also provides traceability from the consumer back to the grower and brand partners such as Allbirds, Icebreaker and Smart Wool make use of the 32
Merino Ewes waiting to be shorn at Ben Dhu Station, South Canterbury. Wool used from Merinos which ends up in products such as Allbirds shoes can be traced using NZ Merino’s ZQRX index.
standard in their own marketing. The system is audited but Dave says the problem with auditing to a minimum standard is that it doesn’t recognise those who are going beyond that and can drive mediocrity. “We find growers all the time who are doing extraordinary things, going way above and beyond the minimum acceptable standard. “They’re regenerating indigenous forests, working with their communities, their local iwi. “And that’s what regenerative farming is all about – it knows no destination, it’s a journey not painted in black and white. “So we needed a model that reflected the nuances of regenerative agriculture, that reflects the interaction between land and people and animals and soils and plants –
something that’s so unique to every farmer involved with it.” The company got farmers, scientists, regenerative farming proponents and brand representatives together to discuss how they could meet the consumer’s desire for something that went beyond sustainability. “What we landed on was that it is a mindset – a mindset of progress not perfections, about continuous improvement and about underpinning that with sound science and data.”
ANIMALS, ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE The ZQRX index developed out of those discussions has three pillars – animals, environment and people. “Within each of these are five key
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | June 2021
