Arable GIA Deed Review 2016
Federated Farmers Arable, Foundation of Arable Research (FAR), New Zealand Grain and Seed Trade Association (NZGSTA), New Zealand Flour Millers Association and New Zealand Feed Manufacturers Association are the five representative bodies engaging with the Government Industry Agreements (GIA) on Biosecurity Readiness and Response on behalf of the entire arable industry in New Zealand.
All members of the arable industry recognise the importance of an enhanced biosecurity system that ensures harmful pests and diseases are kept out of New Zealand and can see the positive benefits that engaging in the GIA process will bring to our industry. Federated Farmers Arable, FAR, NZGSTA, New Zealand Feed Manufacturers and New Zealand Flour Millers Association are in the early phases of industry consultation working under the provisional title “Crop Readiness and Response New Zealand (CRR)”, with the intention of becoming GIA Deed signatories in the near future. This submission will provide feedback on specific questions raised by the Deed Governance Group in their cover letter to Philippa Rawlinson, Nick Pyke and Thomas Chin, as well as providing an overview of the arable industry to provide some context to the issues raised by GIA.
The New Zealand arable industry is a complex, but a significant contributor to the New Zealand economy, generating over $1 billion to total GDP in 2013 and direct sales arising from arable production were estimated to be $928 million in 2013. Traditionally arable farmers were considered to be growers of cereal grains and rye grass seed, but in recent years to optimise profitability some have diversified towards production of other cereal grain crops, specialist small seed crops, vegetable crops and forage brassicas. Our pest, weed and disease free status means New Zealand farmers are world leaders in seed multiplication, which until 20 years ago was a non-existent part of an arable farmers business. Domestically, arable farmers are producers of all grass seed and are also producers of cereal feed grains which may act as a supplementary feed required by the pastoral livestock industry.
The species (e.g. cereals, seeds) and cultivars of crops grown on any farm may differ from year to year, and throughout the year, based on market signals, personal preferences or the requirements of the crop rotation. To give an idea of the number of different crops grown annually, FAR collect levies from approximately 50 different crops species.