• Indentifying new farming systems and processes.
• Building international consumer trust in New Zealand products.
• Identifying and prioritising opportunities to increase investment, employment and incomes in the primary sector.
• Encouraging more people to be involved in the primary sector.
A spokesman for the minister said funding for new farming systems would focus on expanding the existing investment in technology transfer, looking for the best farmers and farming systems and transferring their information and knowledge throughout the industry.
It will involve all pastoral farming.
Guy said in a press release that funding was needed to improve the skill of the primary sector to respond to greater market competition and more sophisticated products.
“We know the primary sector needs an additional 50,000 jobs by 2025 and we will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Education on raising awareness of these career paths.
“The 20% increase in funding for agriculture at tertiary level in Budget 2015 is also an important step.
“The Government will also invest in identifying new farming systems and processes that improve financial, animal welfare and environmental performance. This is on top of $10m in new funding announced in the Budget for animal welfare.”
Additional funding has also been provided for further development of the Overseer nutrient development tool over the next three years.
Guy said funding has also been allocated for authenticating NZ products by making it more difficult to counterfeit and to build consumer trust in those goods.
“This is about supporting the efforts of the sector to capture more value further up the supply chain,” he said.
