Technical Papers - 1999
99/11 Review of Trends in Agricultural Pesticide Use in New Zealand
Patrick Holland & Anis Rahman - November 1999
Current usage of pesticides in New Zealand has been established on a tonnage basis with division of pesticides into categories and classes according to FAO. A comparison was undertaken between the current usage and data gathered in previous surveys. Herbicides continue to dominate pesticide use (68%) followed by fungicides (24%) and insecticides (8%).
99/8 Industry Views on the Making and Operation of Levy Orders under the Commodity Levies Act 1990
Glen Greer, Jon Manhire, Tony Zwart - March 1999
This technical paper was produced by Lincoln University and Agriculture New Zealand Ltd, based on a three-phase study carried out in 1998. The work was commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to obtain industry views on the procedures currently adopted for the making and operation of Levy Orders under the Commodity Levies Act 1990. Commodity levies were supported by industry organisations and the majority of growers included in the focus groups, primarily because they eliminate the "free-rider" problem. The next most positive contribution made by the levies is that they provide the security of funding required to enter into longer term initiatives in research, promotion and industry planning.
99/7 Gender Equal - a Sustainable Agriculture Facilitation Programme
Trish Burborough - October 1998
This study looked at the diversity of rural and farm women's lives and provided some insights into the barriers to their participation in the mainstream economy. It suggested how these might be overcome so that rural women can act to improve their own position and how policy-makers can take account of the life experiences and requirements of all rural people (women and men). Gender equality is needed for efficient use of the local rural resource base and the promotion of local economic growth.
99/6 Evaluation of the Focus Farm and Orchard Programme
Nimmo-Bell & Company - June 1999
19 SLM groups were reviewed to assess their effectiveness in raising awareness of sustainability issues and in fostering the adoption of more sustainable land management practices. Common features of the groups are firstly, a focus on measures to improve economic sustainability and secondly, that there are few if any meaningful measures of effectiveness in getting farmers/growers to adopt more environmentally sustainable land management practices.
99/5 Information and Communication Needs to assist the adoption of sustainable land management practices in North Island Hill Country
Ket Bradshaw & Pam Williams - November 1998
Eroding hill country is a major issue in New Zealand, requiring important management changes if the issue is to be addressed. If these changes are to be put in place, then farmers need access to good information. This report (based on one-to-one interviews) sets out some features important in designing communication and information systems to help farmers. It seems that key messages about sustainable management practices are getting through, but that time and support is needed to help in moving farmers from the 'awareness raising' stage to the 'adoption' stage. New practices need to be sustainable within the farming enterprise, and that means that changes are usually done incrementally over a long period time. Farmers prefer to access information as they need it, and its important that the information be written and presented in a simple, straightforward and clear way. Incentives (e.g., subsidies, grants and community investments) act as a catalyst to 'kick start' farmers to uptake new practices. The report makes a series of recommendations.
99/4 Regional Implementation of the Biosecurity Act 1993
Simon Harris - February 1999
Five regions were examined in this study, which aimed to show: some of the different approaches to Regional Pest Management Strategies (RPMSs) are implemented and funded; the rationale behind these different approaches; looked at variations between councils (from the perspective of what the Biosecurity Act intends). Geographic influences primarily determine how each region responds to the Act. For funding councils either used the general rate or levied a separate rate. When deciding on whether to include a particular pest in their RPMS, councils used either a detailed cost-benefit analysis or public consultation. Councils used a variety of monitoring approaches. The need for appeal provisions to be included in respect to the notification of a strategy was highlighted. More generally, a three-stranded approach is recommended , involving changes to the legislation, developing a guideline about the Act's key requirements and implications; and research to assist councils in their decision making.
99/3 An Analysis of Public Comments on the Sustainable Management Plans for the Beech/Podocarp Beech Production Forests of North Westland
MAF Policy - December 1998
This report summarises and analyses the submissions received by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry on Plans prepared by Timberlands West Coast Limited (TWC) for the sustainable management of Crown-owned beech forests in North Westland. The submission process did not have a statutory basis, but was designed to elicit the views of interested parties on the management provisions in the TWC Plans. The submission process was not intended as a referendum on the future of the beech forests. Many of the concerns raised by submitters were outside the scope of the TWC Plans. The report covers the range of concerns identified by submitters.
99/2 Impact of a Volcanic Eruption on Agriculture and Forestry in New Zealand
Jeremy Neild, Peter O'Flaherty, Phillipa Hedley, Ruth Underwood, David Johnston
and Bruce Christenson & Peter Brown - July 1998
NZ is one of the most active volcanic regions in the world, and even a moderate eruption is likely to have significant impacts. This report was commissioned to document the impact that a range of eruption scenarios may have on forestry and agriculture. The effects on livestock will depend on a range of factors, including: ash type, its depth and consistency, wind direction and rainfall, and age and metabolic demands of livestock at the time. Even light ash showers can have significant impacts on horticultural production. Impacts on plantation forestry can be significant, including burial, breakage and fire. Policy issues relating to responses to volcanic events (based on experience gained from a 1995 eruption) include: inadequately defined and co-ordinated roles, poor communication between agencies (who normally have little contact with each other), resource constraints, a lack of trained personnel, and plans based on untested assumptions. Any institutional framework managing a volcanic emergency will need to: make sure all the key agencies work together in a co-ordinated manner, provide people (particularly in rural areas) with the information they need to manage themselves, manage media interest during the event, and make sure that 'institutional memory' is maintained (for dealing the next volcanic event).
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