Growing the future

Rebecca Reider received a Fulbright US Graduate Award in 2006 to conduct research into organic farming in New Zealand. Her resulting report, Grown Organically? Human Networks and the Quest to Expand Organic Agriculture in New Zealand, was published by Lincoln University’s Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit in March. Now a Fulbright alumna, Rebecca has stayed in New Zealand to help put her research into practise.

Rebecca Reider, 2006 Fulbright US Graduate Student

Organic agriculture is blossoming worldwide. Consumers are hungry for healthier food, grown in an ecologically responsible way. Feeding them has become big business in Europe and America. As one New Zealand apple exporter told me, conventional apple orchards are going broke because of sagging prices, but organic is “one of the greatest brands in the world… better than Pepsi-Cola!”

Could organic mean an ecologically and economically bright future for New Zealand agriculture? In fact, despite this country’s “clean green” image, less than one percent of its farmland is certified organic. The government has recently funded two new projects to help change that: a national organisation, Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ), and an Organic Advisory Programme to help farmers learn about organic production. But many organic leaders still wonder how to get New Zealand farmers to really change their approach to the land and make the full organic leap. I decided to dedicate my Fulbright year to addressing this issue, with the goal of making practical recommendations to people in the organic movement.

For several months I roamed the countryside, interviewing farmers and agribusiness people to get at this issue. I saw this as the best way to educate myself as well, as the real expertise in New Zealand organics is out on the farms, not in the universities. I found many organic farms thriving, ranging from community gardens growing salads for local restaurants, to huge sheep and beef farms sending their organic lamb halfway around the world.

I also found that many New Zealand farmers still get most of their information and ideas from people selling products, such as fertiliser company representatives and vets. It is no wonder, then, that many conventional farmers end up dependent on a whole range of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, drenches, and antibiotics without realising that organic farmers are producing healthy food with the use of only naturally derived products.

Many dairy farmers buy or make their own organic fertilisers because they have discovered that healthier soils grow more nutritionally balanced pastures, meaning much healthier animals. But their neighbours are still pouring on the same old superphosphate and urea, in a rush to produce more grass and more milk. I found a need for more general awareness among farmers that organic is not just for “sandal-wearing hippies”, and that organic practices can actually build a more robust farm.

My research looked at three agricultural sectors: mixed crop/sheep farms in Canterbury, apple orchards in Hawke’s Bay and dairy farms in the Waikato. Most farmers and growers told me they like to trust the advice of fellow farmers rather than consultants and researchers; they want to learn practical techniques from organic peers who have done the “hard yards” themselves. For this reason, I have recommended that the national Organic Advisory Programme fund more farmer-to-farmer learning opportunities, such as discussion groups and mentorship programmes.

Farmers need a whole range of information sources to help them go organic: from basic publicity in farming newspapers to get the word out; to in-depth educational programmes to help them fine-tune their skills. Organic farming can be more work and requires real understanding and proactive thinking. Organic farmers need to understand how to prevent weed problems because they can’t just reach for a spray can if weeds arise; and they need to know how to keep their animals in top health because they can’t rely on conventional medicines if a sickness suddenly crops up. However, most of the organic farmers I met say they love the journey and the challenge.

These are interesting times for organics, as multinational corporations are now involved at all levels, from growing the crop to selling it in supermarkets. In New Zealand, big companies (such as Heinz Wattie’s and Fonterra) have actively promoted organics – for example, by helping new organic farmers with growing advice or by giving them extra payments while they convert. The drawback: big companies like to work with simple one-crop systems – one crop to grow, one crop to sell. New Zealand’s two biggest organic export crops, apples and kiwifruit, are grown mostly in monoculture. But when farms or orchards grow just one crop they are vulnerable to pest, disease, and weather problems, and vulnerable to price swings in the ever-changing global marketplace. I hope to promote more awareness of this issue in organic circles so we do not sacrifice farm biodiversity for short-term profits.

As a happy twist to the end of my research, I learned that some of my recommendations had been incorporated into the design of a new mentorship programme for organic farmers in Canterbury, and now I find myself with a part-time job running the programme. It’s one of the rewards of working in a small country where individuals can make an impact. I will seek out new or struggling organic farmers and link them with more experienced farmers as mentors. I learned so much roaming around the country, drinking tea with organic farmers and brainstorming ideas, but I find it exciting now to take on this new adventure: getting back into the field and finding out if my own recommendations actually work!

Rebecca’s full report - Growing Organically? Human Networks and the Quest to Expand Organic Agriculture in New Zealand - is available to download from Lincoln University’s Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit website (306kb PDF).