“And with new challenges already arising in 2018 we’ll be reliant on the support of our farmers to realise every possible advantage a strong, unified industry can bring.”
While urging his own industry to get more united Carter also believes other primary sectors can learn a lot from each other.
“It’s always frustrated me that primary industry sectors want to stand alone when we have all got transferable information, management and ideas to share.
“NZ Pork is very keen to work with other primary sectors. We have learned a lot and where appropriate we are willing to be of help.
“And where’s there’s opportunity we are always happy to learn from others.”
Biosecurity is top of mind for all farming sectors and is was an area where NZ Pork has gained significant experience and learned from the lessons.
“We have dealt with a number of incursions, including one of the big ones, porcine multi-systemic wasting syndrome in the early 2000s, and I would go as far to say we probably have the best industry and onfarm biosecurity of any in this country,” Carter said.
The North Otago pig farmer, who also raises bull calves for the beef industry, has stringent onfarm biosecurity.
“No live animals (pigs) have come onto my farm in five years. Semen is the only mechanism for genetic improvement.”
No stock trucks come to our sheds.
“We move our pigs to the stock trucks.”
While some pig farms have implemented full showering set-ups for people going onfarm, Carter has stopped short of that with a biosecurity clean of boots, clothing and equipment.
Effective biosecurity is primarily about changing cultures and managing health standards while maintaining good habits.
“We know the costs of the diseases and are very conscious of these costs if we don’t maintain the highest standard of biosecurity possible.”
In light of the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis Carter has been approached by DairyNZ to share the pork industry’s experience.
“It’s hard to get people to emotionally engage with you until you are in a situation – for dairy that situation is now.
“And NZ Pork is very keen to work with other primary sectors in cases such as this. It just makes sense to share practical and proven knowledge.
“We are working through ways in which we can help and this will roll out more next month,” Carter said.
Meantime, 2018 is rolling on with its own pressures for pig farmers, following 2017 that hadn’t been the best of memorable years.
“Constrained prices and increasing competition took its toll across the country with many in our industry reporting growing pressure on their cashflow and bottom line.”
A change of government with an election campaign that served to heighten the emerging town and country divide, volatile global markets and a high level of scrutiny around onfarm activity has added to the uncertainty right across the sector, Carter said.
While there had been a skilled worker shortage for some time, it has become acute and with uncertainty as to how election campaign promises might translate into policy, new and existing migrants are already evaluating their future in NZ.
“Given the complexities involved in hiring a worker from overseas this is currently putting a lot of pressure on businesses.
“Many are now not only concerned about their ability to manage any growth but uncertain as to how they will maintain the staffing levels necessary to successfully run their existing operation.”
Unfortunately for the pork industry this was not the only significant problem emerging in 2018 with the price of key materials sourced from overseas also likely to surge.
“In this kind of environment the importance of working together as a united industry becomes paramount,” Carter said.
The reality for many farmers is this was new territory – a falling schedule and increased competition coupled with limited labour supply and rising costs for essential supplies is likely to create some unprecedented pressures.
“Add in a sudden change in the local economic environment which affects consumer confidence or a change in government policy that leads to significant increases in compliance costs and we could have the recipe for a perfect storm in 2018.”
Carter said the success of the industry would stand or fall on the relevance the industry and its products have with NZ consumers.
“If Kiwis don’t buy born and raised in NZ pork no amount of appropriate legislation or available labour will make a difference to the confidence farmers will have to invest in the long-term success of the industry.
“The ability to speak with one voice as a small but dynamic industry gives us far greater impact when focusing on key issues that affect not only our right to farm but also our ability to farm.”
