When I was growing up most New Zealanders lived in small to medium-sized towns and had a close connection to agriculture.
Farming was the backbone of the nation and we lived off the sheep’s back.
Fast forward to the 1980s and the deregulation of agriculture when almost overnight people began moving to the bigger centres, especially Auckland, and what we now refer to as the rural-urban divide began.
Agriculture was labelled a sunset industry.
Fewer people worked on the land. A diversified economy meant more people working in areas with no connection to agriculture.
For a while this dramatic shift away from what had for generations defined NZ did not seem to matter.
Agriculture shrank in importance while other industries grew.
But by the end of the 20th century it had become clear a mistake had been made – New Zealanders were good at agriculture, the climate provided a natural advantage and other industries were not filling the gap left in the ways that had been anticipated.
Attention again turned to the land.
Unfortunately, in the years since deregulation New Zealanders had lost interest.
Young people, their parents and their schools were guiding them towards jobs they thought would be better paid, more interesting and less arduous.
Agriculture had unfairly gained a reputation as the place for less able students.
To counter these perceptions successive governments and the industry have put a lot of effort into promoting agriculture and what it has to offer.
There has been some success – but not nearly enough.
The number of young people wanting a future in agriculture remains far below what is needed.
And it will stay that way unless we are willing to fundamentally change the way we think – shifting ourselves from being an agricultural nation to a food nation.
The clue to what we might do is in small but significant trends that are emerging around the country.
After many years of relentlessly expanding milk production some in the industry are realising more does not necessarily mean greater value.
A growing number of farmers are looking to do things differently and move into niches that catch the interest of consumers.
Producing lamb is now less about carcases and more about cuts of meat that fit the lifestyles of busy consumers.
Merino wool is finding its way into a wide range of new products such as shoes, recreational clothing and building products.
Kiwifruit, once a volume industry, is now focused on skills and knowledge-intensive vine management.
The apple industry is characterised by sophisticated marketing and a consumer-friendly range of varieties.
The creation of a highly regarded wine industry remains one of the main success stories for agriculture.
Across the country regions are discovering how to link food to tourism to encourage higher value returns.
Maori are at the forefront of combining agriculture with tourism and new products in areas like health.
In regions like Hawke’s Bay, Otago and Wairarapa land is being used in new and more diverse ways.
Everywhere is an awareness that something new, exciting and of greater value is dawning.
What we are watching is the emergence of a new biological economy – an economy based on rethinking traditional behaviour in favour of building relationships between the producer and the consumer. As this relationship develops everything about agriculture begins to change – on the farm and at every step along the way to the consumer.
Meeting people who work in this emerging biological economy is very different from meeting people who are still in the traditional economy.
In the emerging economy people are using knowledge – whether it be science, marketing, big data, logistics, manufacturing, automation, design, finance, sustainability, animal welfare, packaging, information technology or water management. This is an industry that is beginning to look like the 21st century.
This is the kind of industry we need to be putting in front of NZ’s young people with a clear vision of an industry that belongs to the future, one that benefits from all aspects of the industry working together, that has a place for every talented young person, that offers high incomes, interesting work, rich and varied careers and a sense of purpose that will bring pride.
We do not need to start down this road because at least some people are already on it.
What is needed now is leadership.
We need to be hearing from leaders across our community that a biological economy belongs to the 21st century. The story needs to be clear, compelling and practical.
What we need to stop is talk of agriculture and primary industries.
Stop anything that sounds like the last century when agriculture ended at the farm gate. It is now about producer and consumer relationships fuelled by knowledge.
If we persist with the old story the struggle to interest young New Zealanders and the people who influence their choices will continue. If we talk the language of the future I have no doubt the struggle will be over.
Your View
Steve Maharey is an advocate of New Zealand becoming a food nation – the world’s leading producer of quality food that meets the constantly changing needs of consumers. He was formerly the vice-chancellor of Massey University and a senior Labour Cabinet minister holding a variety of portfolios. To share your views in Farmers Weekly write a letter to the editor or provide a contribution to The Pulpit, email farmers.weekly@globalhq.co.nz
