The second Pasture Summit, held virtually last week, showcased yet again how much Ireland and New Zealand’s farming communities stand to gain by working together.

The focus was not just on our world-leading, grass-based food production systems but also the further work needed to respond to climate change and environmental pressures.

New Zealand and Ireland share an approach to farming which is truly unique, with New Zealand farmers perhaps the only others in the world that can meet Bord Bia’s grass-fed standards.

Unsurprisingly, similar challenges arise too for the agri sector in both countries

Both of our sectors also rely on access to the global marketplace, and are standard-setters when it comes to the production of high-quality, safe food with the lowest carbon footprint.

We need to champion that more because consumers place a premium on it, and it is critical that farmers receive a greater and fairer share back from the marketplace.

Unsurprisingly, similar challenges arise too for the agri sector in both countries.

Those range from the changing shape of consumer markets, responding to climate, environmental and biodiversity pressures, building resilience through the opening and growing of new markets, farmer profitability, to succession and planning for the future generations.

Shared interests and challenges

These shared interests and challenges are best met through partnership. And on that score, co-operation between New Zealand and Ireland is flourishing. It has often been under the radar, and is certainly not celebrated as often or as loudly as it should be.

However, through initiatives like the Pasture Summit, leading Irish grassland farmers Michael Murphy and Mike Magan and New Zealanders Colin Armer and Colin Glass are helping to change this.

And they are joined by researchers, our agritech sectors, and policy leaders in Government.

It was on display just last month at Fieldays in Hamilton, where AgriTechNZ and AgTech Ireland formed an alliance and Irish firms like MagGrow (winners of the Fieldays International Innovation Award in 2020) showcased the innovation they are bringing to New Zealand farms.

New Zealand and Ireland are leading climate mitigation research in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases

Researchers at institutions such as Teagasc and Massey University have also built close links, taking advantage of counter-seasonality in both countries to carry out year-long pasture-based research. And New Zealand and Ireland are leading climate mitigation research in the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

But I often hear from industry leaders in both of our countries that we can and should be doing more. I agree. Three opportunities stand out for me.

  • Joining forces to promote what we do best – the nutritional, animal welfare and environmental benefits of pasture-based farming.
  • Intensifying our co-operation on climate action and mitigation research, but also doing a better job of telling the story of the great commitment and results we are already seeing on New Zealand and Irish farms where, despite food production increasing by up to 40% over the past 30 years, emissions have only increased by 1%. Technology, improved genetics, precision farming and better grassland management have helped to achieve this and will have an even more crucial role to play in the future.
  • Working more closely together in third markets. It’s great to see some partnerships already tapping this potential – like Ornua and EasiYo in Europe or the collaboration between HerdInsights and Waikato Milking Systems in North America. There are many more opportunities to work together, leveraging our complementary counter-seasonal production windows, and hard-earned reputations for safe and sustainable food production.
  • I sometimes worry though that some of these opportunities are missed – that the focus is instead on the similar products we make and our presence in many of the same markets.

    Both of our countries have similar populations and we each produce enough food to feed 35m to 40m (or 70m to 80m together).

    It is true that our discussions to secure a free trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand are getting to the business end

    But let’s keep things in perspective. This is still barely 1% of the world’s population.

    It is true that our discussions to secure a free trade agreement between the EU and New Zealand are getting to the business end, and that this is an important priority. The same is true of our discussions in London.

    Negotiations

    In both negotiations, we need to see high-quality market access for agricultural products if we are to get deals over the line.

    And New Zealand will need to do the same for EU and Irish exporters, including extending special protection for Irish whiskey and responding to EU interests in other sectors.

    It’s not surprising of course that we would like to see trade grow as a result of these agreements.

    I also recognise there are concerns, but these are overstated in my view. For example, not many will know that New Zealand currently imports more dairy products from the EU than it exports into the EU.

    The reality is that production across many sectors in New Zealand has also reached its limits.

    Land and environmental constraints mean we have reached “peak cow”. The growth and diversity in our international markets mean that trade is now spread across more than 150 countries, in many cases very thinly.

    Our 50-year-old quota that allows an agreed amount of New Zealand lamb to enter the EU market without tariffs, hasn’t been fully used in the last decade

    The impact of this is very clear to see in the marketplace.

    New Zealand dairy exports to the EU have declined substantially in the last 20 years.

    Our 50-year-old quota that allows an agreed amount of New Zealand lamb to enter the EU market without tariffs, hasn’t been fully used in the last decade, with only 50% of the quota filled in the last few years.

    In respect of beef, New Zealand is a small player by international standards and has many other existing and unfilled markets to service.

    Where the free trade agreement may make a far more important impact for our two-way trade is agritech – and firms such as Dairymaster, Keenan, Abbey Machinery, Waikato Milking Systems, Livestock Improvement Corporation, AbacusBio, Figured and many others who do more business in our markets than the trade in agricultural products. This business will benefit from the stronger relationships that will result from the agreement.

    Given our shared heritage, values and interests, I firmly believe we are natural partners

    Working together and utilising nature’s advantage and the best of innovation and research, New Zealand and Ireland are well placed to meet the needs of modern farming and export our world-beating products globally.

    Given our shared heritage, values and interests, I firmly believe we are natural partners. With initiatives such as the Pasture Summit opening more doors to this opportunity, the future is bright.