Early Bird I Thursday September 12th 2024

AGMARDT and KPMG launch innovative platform to tackle rural challenges, LIC embark on groundbreaking dairy cow breeding project for Africa, and Fieldays Society CEO to retire after three decades of service. Welcome to Proud Country's Early Bird - The top things you need to know that impact rural New Zealand delivered to you by 5am, because who doesn’t need better chat beyond the weather! AGMARDT and KPMG launch innovative platform to tackle rural challenges A groundbreaking initiative called "The Common Ground" has launched, aiming to revolutionise collaboration across New Zealand's food and fibre sector. This innovative concept, developed by AGMARDT and KPMG New Zealand, could reshape how our rural industries tackle shared challenges and opportunities. Lee-Ann Marsh, AGMARDT General Manager, describes The Common Ground as a vision to enhance teamwork among the numerous industry organisations serving our food and fibre sector. The initiative calls on all rural stakeholders to engage in a constructive dialogue about our collective future. The Common Ground concept emerged from a comprehensive report examining the effectiveness of industry-good organisations. It addresses growing concerns about trust erosion, short-term thinking, and inefficiencies that have hampered our rural sector's global competitiveness. Ian Proudfoot, KPMG's Global Head of Agribusiness, highlights the initiative's potential to unlock new funding avenues and redirect the sector's focus towards international markets. He believes this collaborative approach will enhance our ability to solve complex issues and capture global market opportunities. The Common Ground would operate through two main channels: Communities of Action and a shared back-office system. Communities of Action would allow industry bodies to combine their top talent and resources, addressing cross-sector challenges while maintaining their individual focus. This structure could tackle pressing issues such as on-farm energy solutions, rural wellbeing, high-value exporting, sustainable production systems, water management, and adapting to climate change. It aims to break down silos and foster a more unified approach to rural development. The initiative also proposes a shared back-office system, potentially saving millions in duplicated services across industry organisations. This could include a common data exchange, reducing administrative burdens for individual producers. AGMARDT and KPMG emphasise that The Common Ground is one vision of a future-ready industry-good system. They're actively seeking input from all corners of the sector - from farmers and growers to foresters and fishers - to shape the final form of this collaborative platform. Rural stakeholders interested in learning more or providing feedback can visit www.thecommonground.org.nz.  Government launches AI initiative to boost productivity on NZ farms Meanwhile a new government initiative is set to bring the power of artificial intelligence to Kiwi farms across the country. The AI Activator, launched by Science Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins, could be a game-changer for our rural communities. Led by Callaghan Innovation, in partnership with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and NIWA, this program aims to help farmers harness AI technology to boost productivity and competitiveness. From precision agriculture and livestock management to weather forecasting and supply chain optimization, AI has the potential to revolutionise how we farm. Sarah Sun, Head of AI and Digital at Callaghan Innovation, explained that the AI Activator is designed to support farmers at all stages of their AI journey. Whether you're curious about how AI could help with crop yield predictions or you're ready to implement automated milking systems, this program has something for everyone.. The initiative offers farmers access to AI experts, research and development resources, and practical learning modules. This means you could soon be using AI to make data-driven decisions about irrigation, fertiliser use, or animal health. NIWA's involvement ensures that farmers will have access to cutting-edge AI applications in climate and environmental monitoring. This could lead to more accurate long-term weather forecasting and better management of water resources - crucial for our drought-prone regions. For dairy farmers, NZTE will be hosting workshops aimed at enhancing AI knowledge among export businesses. This could open up new opportunities to use AI in reaching global markets and managing international supply chains more efficiently. The program also introduces GovGPT, a new AI tool to help farmers navigate government information more easily. This could be a real time-saver when dealing with regulations and compliance issues. LIC embark on groundbreaking dairy cow breeding project for Africa Livestock Improvement Corporation is launching an innovative project to develop heat-tolerant and disease-resistant dairy cows for Sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative, in partnership with precision breeding leader Acceligen and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to enhance food security in the region. The project will merge LIC's expertise in breeding efficient dairy cows for grazing with Acceligen's advanced gene editing capabilities. The goal is to create animals that outperform native breeds in milk production, contributing to sustainable dairy markets and improved welfare for humans and animals alike. David Chin, LIC's Chief Executive, says  that working with Acceligen allows LIC to engage with world-leading technology while demonstrating their advanced breeding capabilities to international markets. The project involves sending embryos from LIC's world-class grazing genetics to the United States. There, Acceligen will perform gene edits on the embryos' stem cells. These edited embryos will then be transferred to surrogate cows, which will give birth to gene-edited bulls. The young bulls will be raised in Brazil, with their genetic material eventually distributed to Sub-Saharan African markets through a network of dealers. Our government has committed to legislative changes allowing greater use of gene technologies by the end of 2025. Chin says LIC is actively exploring the science and viability of adopting such tools for New Zealand farmers, aiming to enhance dairy sector productivity and meet changing global demands. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is funding this $8.3 million NZD project as part of its investment in agricultural development. The foundation aims to support farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa in their efforts to sustainably raise healthy, productive animals. Corporate dairy group winds down as investors seek return on capital Dairy Farms NZ has announced a $2.5 million loss for the year ending May 31, signalling major changes ahead for the South Island-based organisation. Established in 2014, the copportate farming entity owns seven farms across the South Island and manages a herd of over 6,100 cows at peak milking. Despite long-held ambitions to list on the NZX, the company is now looking to wind up operations and sell its holdings. CEO Craig McBeth explained the decision, saying long-term investors have requested a return on their capital. As a result, the company is planning an organised sell-down of assets, with farms to be marketed this coming spring. In an interesting move, Dairy Farms NZ sold nearly half of its Fonterra shares during the year, raising $3 million. The company retains 900,000 shares valued at $2.4 million and received $895,000 in dividends from Fonterra. This development comes amid a cooling dairy farm market. The Real Estate Institute of NZ reports the median price per hectare for dairy farms sold in the three months to July 2024 was $35,705, down from $38,160 a year ago. Overall farm sales have also decreased, with 24% fewer dairy farms and 7.3% fewer dairy support farms sold compared to the previous year. Fieldays Society CEO to retire after three decades of service A significant change is coming to one of New Zealand's most important rural organisations. Peter Nation, CEO of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, has announced he will step down from his role on December 20th this year. Nation's involvement with the Society spans nearly three decades, marking the end of an era for the organisation that owns and operates the 114-hectare Mystery Creek Events Centre and the iconic Fieldays event. Nation's journey with the Society began as a major sponsor representative for ANZ Bank, where he supported key investments like the Mystery Creek Pavilion. He later took on various roles within the organisation before his appointment as CEO in March 2016. Reflecting on his time with the Society, Nation acknowledges both the challenges and rewards of his tenure. He takes particular pride in successfully steering the event business through the turbulent times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nation emphasises the unique opportunity he's had to contribute to New Zealand's agricultural sector on a global stage. His role involved hosting international delegations, speaking at worldwide conferences, and promoting our country's food producers. Under Nation's leadership, the Society has continued to stage Fieldays, the largest annual event in New Zealand, while also managing the renowned Mystery Creek Events Centre. The organisation has maintained its commitment to supporting the community, youth, and various rural organisations. The Society will bid farewell to Peter Nation at the end of the year following their Annual Awards and celebration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.