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2011 International Farm Management Congress in New Zealand

The 18th International Farm Management Congress was held in Methven, New Zealand on 20-25 March 2011, and Farmers Weekly's deputy arable editor Mike Abram was there, courtesy of farm management company Sentry, agchem distributor Agrovista and John Deere.
 
The theme for the week was how to thrive in a global world through innovation, co-operation and leadership. New Zealand was a well-chosen venue for such a theme, having coped without subsidies since 1984, leaving its farmers to the mercy of the global markets.
 
The future of direct payments to farmers was discussed as part of the reform of Common Agricultural Policy for the period after 2013. So this conference was an ideal opportunity to explore how farming could look if direct subsidies are reduced or phased out.

PRECISION FARMING

Paying dividends

The use of innovative precision farming techniques on two New Zealand arable farms is paying dividends.

SHAREMILKING

Shared risk and rewards

Many successful dairy farmers in New Zealand started their management careers sharemilking.

FARM STRUCTURE

Stronger industry

Subsidies ended almost overnight in New Zealand. But what does its agriculture sector look like 25 years later? And what can the UK learn from it?

global drivers

Influencing factors

What are the most significant drivers of supply and demand in the global market and how do they feed into higher pricing and increased volatility?

ENVIRONMENT

Emission benefits

Sheep farmers in New Zealand could make improvements in their carbon footprint by incorporating greenhouse gas emission traits into their genetic selection tools.

FEEDING THE WORLD

Global free trade

Denying global free trade will prevent farmers from supplying the food to feed the world.

NITROGEN INHIBITORS

Nitrogen on dairy farms

Applying a product to prevent nitrogen leaching from urine patches from pasture is helping some New Zealand dairy farmers both increase grass production and reduce their environmental impact.

Unsustainable...

Farming with subsidies

Farming with subsidies funded by taxpayers is fiscally unsustainable, said David Carter, New Zealand agricultural minister, at the opening of the 18th International Farm Management Association Congress in Methven, Canterbury.

Irrigation

Variable rates cut costs

Irrigation systems that allow each nozzle to apply variable rates of water according to soil type and moisture deficit are improving New Zealand farmers’ water use efficiency.