Preferred technologies and strategies for intensified pastoral production in New Zealand: are there human resource implications?

Focus groups were held with high achieving New Zealand Farmers in four pastoral sectors: sheep, dairy, deer and beef. First, data were gathered regarding the reasons for farmers looking to adopt new technology and strategies for intensification of production. Next, potential technologies for adoption in each sector were identified. Finally, farmers’ views on the likely impact of adoption of preferred technologies on labour needs were canvassed. The focus group results were used to develop a quantitative telephone survey, which was administered to random samples of approximately 100 farmers in each sector. For all sectors the main reasons driving the adoption of new technologies were desire to increase profits and personal satisfaction from maximising returns from their land. In the sheep sector the two technologies/strategies most likely to be adopted in the next five to 10 years were low-input, maximum-return strategies and improved feed budgeting. In the dairy industry, the two strategies most favoured for adoption were the production of high value milk products (e.g., nutriceuticals) and improved animals and grasses through genetic engineering. The deer industry favoured selecting for the most efficient hind size to suit their farm and improved breeding to maximise growth rate to 10 months of age. Beef farmers favoured improved farm management practices and improved grass species. Farmers from all sectors believed adoption of these strategies and technologies would not increase labour requirements. Currently, all sectors viewed the availability of labour as being from poor to adequate and likely to become worse in the next five to 10 years.