Field Notes Issue 606 Field Notes Issue 606 Field Notes Issue 606

[12^th May 2022]

This week forestry is our key theme in Aotearoa New Zealand. Climate Forestry Association discusses a study showing that carbon forestry creates 25% more local jobs than sheep and beef farming (6.3 FTE per 1000ha for forestry vs 4.7 FTE for sheep and beef). The “insanely high” profits from carbon farming and a government proposal to make permanent exotic forests ineligible to earn carbon units in the ETS also came under the spotlight. And a NZD$25.5m has been allocated to precision silviculture in a seven-year programme including $10.2m from the MPI SFF fund, which includes multiple workstreams from nursery costs to ‘smart-spades’.

In other domestic news, Wattie’s hit a new record in the latest tomato season with 140 metric tonnes/ha, Zespri received mixed results in their 2022 license release for Sungold and RubyRed with a spread of 55% between median and minimum (historically 5%), and biosecurity officials are increasing their efforts to identify if the fall army worm has become established in the upper North Island. 

Half of Gen Z ‘ashamed’ to order milk in public: Arla probes how social media and ‘cancel culture’ shape attitudes to dairy [9 May, Bloomberg]

Data published by dairy farmer cooperative Arla shows that 49% of UK consumers are willing to make 'big changes' to their diets based on information they see on social media. Generation Z (late 1990s to 2010) showed the largest proportion of compared to other age groups for 'feeling ashamed' to order dairy products in public at 49%. The average among all generations was 8%. Arla argues that consumers should also consider the positive aspects of the dairy industry, such as food security and rural livelihoods.

Tags: International, Food Marketing, Dairy

Almost 10 Million Britons Cut Back on Meals as Living Costs Soar [9 May, Food Navigator]

Information provided by The Food Foundation last week shows that nearly 10 million British citizens (7.3 million adults and 2.6 million children) either skipped meals or reduced food intake last month due to the country’s high inflation levels. The charity predicts food insecurity to continue as geopolitical energy issues unfold and scolds the British government for not keeping welfare benefits in pace with inflation.

Tags: International, Food Security

Ukraine says Russia is stealing grain, which could worsen food crisis [5 May, The Washington Post]

Ukrainian officials report that Russia is attempting to create a global food crisis and strengthen its grain exports by sabotaging Ukrainian farms and implementing blockades of its export centres. Ukrainian Deputy Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskiy estimates that 441,000 tons of grain were stolen by Russian forces in occupied areas of Ukraine.

Tags: International, Food Security 

Government announces 'strengthened' biosecurity funding and M.Bovis milestone [5 May, Stuff]

Last week, biosecurity minister Damien O’Conner announced that an extra NZD$42.9 million over the next four years would be added to existing funds used to protect native flora, fauna, and the primary sector. Additionally, NZD$68 million of pre-allocated funds will be used to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis (a bacterial infection that negatively affects cows) in New Zealand.

Tags: Biosecurity, Policy & Regulation

Funding for cherry health study [10 May, Farmers Weekly]

Cherrie health and Manufacturing (CH&M), part of NZ-based cherry production business Cherri Global, has received an NZD$55,000 grant to research the potential health benefits of NZ grown cherries. Current theories suggest that NZ-grown fruit may have increased bioactive properties because of higher levels of ultraviolet light exposure. The grant is funded by the High-Value Nutrition Ko Ngā Kai Whai Painga National Science Challenge.

Tags: Research & Development