Writing in the Financial Times, he said the NZ economy was “tanking” in 1985, when a new government set about major economic reforms, sweeping away agricultural support.
“The aim was to expose the NZ economy to international competition.
“Freed from the distraction of subsidies, farmers focused on the market once more.
“They looked to science and technology to improve productivity and increase profitability,” he said.
The thrust of his article was that United Kingdom farmers today should start looking towards the opportunities of the post-Brexit era, a message NZ sheep and beef business consultant Trevor Cook described as somewhat bold before giving a Profit from Pasture’ presentation to farmers in the north of Scotland.
“I wouldn’t be quite that extreme in my comments, certainly, as we don’t know what Brexit is going to look like,” Cook, who combines his co-ownership of Totally Vets with a consultancy role that includes working with farming clients throughout NZ and the UK.
“My current assessment of UK livestock production is that while many businesses are generally very productive they are not very profitable.
“However, with the threat of a change in UK circumstances regarding support through subsidies looking highly likely in the not too distant future, the drive is now on to make British farming systems more profitable.”
That meant making pasture the cornerstone of the feed platform on such farms, rather than relying on buying feeds that “gobble up all the profits”.
Asked to also comment on how British farmers viewed the approach of a future UK free-trade agreement with NZ, especially in light of the recent criticism by UK sheep farm leaders of such a move, Cook said “I think they are over-stating the risks that exist.
“The development of a true FTA between the UK and NZ would allow a real win-win situation to be created in terms of NZ trade, coupled with an improved use and sale of lamb in the UK.”
