Study Tour finalists to be announced at Field Days

Study Tour finalists to be announced at Field Days

Federated Farmers, in conjunction with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), is pleased to announce the finalists vying for the opportunity to attend the 2015 Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA) - World Farmer Organisation (WFO) Study Tour in Argentina.

MPI’s technical assessment panel assessed applicants on their ability to develop a better understanding of the shared ambitions, challenges and opportunities facing farmers around the world to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Finalists James Stewart, Doug Avery, Peter Buckley and Zach Mounsey will present to Hon Nathan Guy, Minister for Primary Industries, and a judging panel at Fieldays, on Thursday 11 June. Following this, Minister Guy will then select two of the finalists to join the international delegation in Argentina this September.

Anders Crofoot, Federated Farmers Climate Change Spokesperson, says the purpose of sending farmers on the Study Tour is to increase global understanding and engagement on agricultural greenhouse gas research and environmental management practices that support sustainable productivity.

“Farmers are the ones on the ground to test and implement different methods to improve their footprint, so they are the best ones to be a part of this global learning opportunity,” he said.

“Last years Study Tour through New Zealand saw a wealth of information shared between contributing countries, Poland, Argentina, Canada and New Zealand. Farmers talked to farmers on areas of interest for research, key challenges and successful management practices, as well as engagement with our leading science centres and local and national government. We hope to see that replicated between contributing countries this year.”

Argentina’s delegate from last year, Santiago Del Solar said “As a farmer and farming advocate, I returned to Argentina singing New Zealand’s praises of the leadership you have taken in taking care of your environment. I saw a country taking the lead and working together within the wider community to reach agreements on keeping the country clean, green, and lovable.”

“In my farmers association CREA we share experiences between farmers and farmer groups researching and making public all the outputs of their research. In Argentina we are measuring the impact of pesticides residues which is our main concern. We say that ‘The best guarded secret of Argentinean farmers, is that we don’t have secrets between farmers’ and when we say ‘farmers’, we mean farmers across the world, who we look forward to hosting in September.”

Mr Crofoot concluded “This Study Tour is a significant investment and commitment to addressing our agricultural emissions through the Global Research Alliance. Something that New Zealand has been making positive advances in already.”

For more information, please contact;

Anders Crofoot, Federated Farmers Climate Change Spokesperson, 027 426 5324

Ministry for Primary Industries Communications team, 029 894 0328

Event details: GRA WFO Study Tour finalists event

When & where: 2pm-4pm, Thursday 11 June, Coopers Function Centre, 25 Angus Rd, Ohaupo 3881

Finalists:

• James Stewart – Federated Farmers Manawatu-Rangitikei provincial president, dairy farmer, and Fonterra Networker.
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o James is a fifth generation farmer who was a Balance Farm Environment Finalist for Manawatu, representative for the Dairy NZ human capability group.
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• Doug Avery – Resilient Farmer Founder, and Marlborough sheep & beef farmer.
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o Doug sits on the Straborough Flaxbourne Soil Conservation Group that won the 2008 Green Ribbon Award, 2010 South Island Farmers of the Year (Lincoln Foundation), 2011 Marlborough District Council Farming Environment Award 2011, 2012 NZ Land Care Ambassador, and 2013 Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year.
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• Peter Buckley – Waikato Regional Councillor and dairy farmer.
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o 2015 Ballance Farm Environment Catchment Improvement Award (for the Waikato River Authority) and PGG Wrightsons Land & Life Award.
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• Zach Mounsey – Federated Farmers Otorohonga Chairman, Dairy farmer, Dairy NZ Economist and Fonterra Networker.
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o New Zealand delegate for the Global Youth Ag Summit 2015 and currently on the Kellogg’s Leadership program.
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Study Tour’s Background:

New Zealand led the establishment of the GRA in 2009, recognising that the challenges of climate change were far greater than any one country and that it was important to develop a collaborative research model that could provide practical mitigation options to farmers that are relevant to their systems and practices.

In 2013 the GRA Council partnered with the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) to promote mitigation management practices to farmers and famer organisations. The WFO brings together producer organisations and agricultural cooperatives around the world, advocating for farmers worldwide.

The WFO partnership has seen the GRA host a workshop alongside the annual WFO Congress in Buenos Aires 2014 an event at which the GRA Council Chair was a keynote speaker. To benefit from this partnership New Zealand has developed a farmer study tour inviting WFO members to visit New Zealand and learn from our experiences and farming practices while sharing their countries responses to the challenges climate change on agricultural production.

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