Saturday, March 30, 2024

THE VOICE: Selling our meat is a game of two halves

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Over the past few months I’ve emceed a fair share of rural awards and conferences where mention of synthetic proteins and insect flour scared many a middle-aged farmer.
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The talk that’s being shouted from on high about being prepared for these new products to take over the world of food production as we know it was more than enough to cause many a listener to question their future as sustainable farmers of the future.

A synthetic steak, a petri dish hamburger and cricket flour chocolate mudcake all sound like a taste test from hell. However, we’re being led to believe these products won’t only be palatable but taste more like the real thing than the real thing.

There’s no doubt the world as we know it is changing and not all of it’s for the better.

But one thing history tells us is that food must be good for the consumer otherwise there’ll be consequences – immediately for those with a weaker stomach or long term as health deteriorates from abuse of too much of a so-called good thing.

New Zealand farmers can’t do anything about these new synthetic products and to coin Steve Hansen’s words, “worry is a wasted emotion”.

What we can do is the very best of what we do – grow good protein, be environmentally sustainable and ensure consumers have confidence in our practices. That might mean we need to open the farmgate to let markets see what we do is industry best practice.

But there’s no point in our primary industry forwards – financially burdened, environmentally attacked and poorly supported by technology and governance – doing all the grunt work without the backs using the product handed to them wisely and efficiently by spreading the word across world markets.

In short, the people who market NZ’s primary produce must explain to the global marketplace the difference between a glass-grown product and a grass-fed, centuries-old, safe food that’s vital to the world’s survival.

But mostly, they must work together in the face of pressure from companies seeking to downgrade naturally produced protein and increase the market share of synthetic protein.

They might be able to produce a cheaper product in the near future but – and this is a but that’ll take time to work through – will our species be able to survive eating these new foods?

I suspect research on this won’t be available for some time, at least until the side effects of what it takes to make synthetic milk and meat become known.

If international marketers don’t get our products to the right markets for a good price with a great back story to showcase the natural benefits of combining an animal with grass and sunshine, not to mention minimal inputs in the form of remedies and antibiotics, cared for by people with conscience and delivered in a usable form for the modern consumer we won’t be able to compete with the money-making ventures of big business.

The light at the end of the synthetic doom-and-gloom tunnel was shone by a talk from KPMG representative Julia Jones at the South Island Dairy Event last month.

Her take on these new products was that they will get a market share, however, that share will be to those who already refuse to eat animal protein: the fad market and the wealthy.

These aren’t NZ’s traditional markets in any case. We have true points of difference, for example, our farming history, efficient production and food safety.

Now, before you all jump on your keyboards to tell me that synthetic protein is getting cheaper and not all animal products are safe, I contend we grow the safest and cheapest animal protein in the world and if world markets existed on an even playing field without tariffs we’d be at the top of the desirable foods list.

We don’t need to compete with synthetics. We just have to do what we do well. The whole team in the chain from pasture to plate needs to work together to ensure we’re ready in the face of this competition.

The comparison of working as a team to ensure success after the misfortune of the second rugby test against the Lions is in parallel with where the industry is at the moment.

If we individually try to get the ball (read financial gain) too often and allow greed to take over, our products will be left isolated and easily brought down.

But if the farming forwards produce good ball (products) and the marketing backs pass it on with flair and accuracy, our markets will be strong and financial success and longevity will follow.

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