The Central Hawke’s Bay farmer and New Zealand’s special agricultural trade envoy reckons the cost of not embracing this change far outweighs the cost of doing it. In a lengthy Twitter thread Petersen said his experiences across the globe taught him New Zealand needs to be a leader on the zero-carbon front. “Those who say we need to do the least amount required are wrong,” he wrote. “This will not be easy but then in farming nothing is. We must be ambitious and move quickly to a position where we can produce and promote zero-carbon food.”
Petersen says the commercial sector is moving far faster than Governments across the world when it comes to zero carbon and while we might be efficient producers now we’ll be left behind if we rest on our laurels. If all NZ exports can have Zero Carbon plastered on the side of the packet or pallet we’ll retain our place on the tables of the most discerning consumers, he argues.
Change is difficult and this pivot from production to sustainable profit will be no different. But every business must change with the times. Car-makers know they can’t keep selling gas-guzzling monsters forever and are putting in the work to transition to electric or hybrid vehicles. Supermarkets and other retailers are looking to cut plastic waste.
So farming must look to its customers and act accordingly. NZ food producers are possibly the best placed in the world to lead this movement. They are starting from a strong position with a grass-fed, sustainable system. NZ is known as a natural wonder. Our history of kaitiakitanga can inform our future as well. There might be short-term pain but ripping the plaster off now will mean no long-term infection. Remember, the customer is always right.
Bryan Gibson
