Beliefs and values research: urban and rural perspectives of the primary sector

Executive summary

Background

This research was commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) under its operational research programme.

As outlined in MAF Policy’s Strategic Plan, in developing policy advice and service delivery to Government MAF seeks to help create prosperous, sustainable and innovative agriculture, food and forestry sectors that support a vibrant and healthy New Zealand society, environment and economy.

One of MAF Policy’s three main objectives is that “our policy development on environmental management and economic growth will create social and cultural benefits and acknowledge and minimise damaging trade-offs”.

Among other measures, MAF seeks to achieve this objective by:

  • Researching changing beliefs and values as they relate to the way people interact with the agriculture, food and forestry sectors
  • Raising awareness of the important role of the sectors and rural production systems in an increasingly urbanised society.

The business environment has a major impact on the sectors’ contribution to economic, environmental and social outcomes. While many parts of the sectors are rural-based, the regulatory and policy environment is largely driven by the perspectives of urban people - as voters, lobbyists, officials and consumers. Rural perspectives (spanning the continuum from values to technical implementation details) may not be adequately considered during policymaking.

There is a risk that the agricultural, food and forestry sectors’ practices will become significantly out of step with societal beliefs and values, and significant and destabilising changes will be required to better align the sectors’ practices. Gradual, voluntary, dynamic changes to the sectors’ practices, where appropriate, are preferred.

To achieve these objectives MAF needs to build a better understanding of changing beliefs and values (within both urban and rural societies) and how they relate to the sectors and rural New Zealand. This is particularly important in the context of an increasingly urbanised New Zealand society.

This benchmark study seeks to inform the above processes and provide an insight into both urban and rural New Zealanders’ perceptions of each other and all New Zealanders’ beliefs and values as they relate to the agricultural, food and forestry sectors.

Overview

Views of rural New Zealand are generally positive. Overall, this view appears to be improving, with nearly a third saying their view had become more positive over the past five years. Across a range of questions, urban New Zealanders generally exhibited support for rural New Zealand and, in particular, a significant proportion of urbanites were willing to subsidise services to rural New Zealand.

When asked to nominate positives and negatives about urban and rural New Zealand there were similar issues raised by urban and rural respondents for the positives (although there were some higher scores on aspects of rural life such as the landscape among urban respondents), however, there were more significant differences on the negatives raised, which may be due to rural New Zealanders’ actual experience of rural life and some level of self interest.

While the importance of the rural sector was acknowledged by the majority of urban respondents, only a small proportion of rural respondents acknowledged the importance of the urban sector.

There were reasonable levels of declared connection between urban and rural New Zealand, with nearly a third having moved after growing up in either a rural or urban environment. There were also around 40% of urban respondents who knew people who worked rurally or regularly visited people in rural New Zealand.

The three sectors tested in-depth – the farming, horticulture and forestry sectors – were viewed positively. Farming was clearly viewed most positively and was a sector where New Zealand was viewed as a world leader. However, there were some areas of concern regarding the sectors that may impact on future perceptions, mainly in the area of environmental management.

There were some indications that sustainability is a growing issue for New Zealanders. Most New Zealanders felt that expansion of the farming, horticulture and forestry sector was good for New Zealand. However, younger New Zealanders were less convinced. Issues relating to sustainable practices were also raised in relation to key environmental concerns and there was also reasonable support for more regulations and greater enforcement of regulations to protect the environment.

Respondents were not totally convinced that New Zealanders recognise the importance of water, with only half believing that we do. There was also uncertainty over whether the agriculture and horticulture sector make good use of water.

A number questioned the cause of climate change, with nearly half of respondents believing natural weather cycles are more important in determining climate change than anything people do.

There was reasonable support for New Zealand taking an international lead on climate change and the key causes of domestic climate change were seen to be industry, vehicles and farm animals.

There was reasonable support for buying New Zealand made goods. However, around a third of respondents stated a preference for having the full range and choice of food regardless of its origin.

Respondents were polarised on whether locally produced food sold in New Zealand is as good as food that is exported.

A majority believed farmers treat their animals well. However, respondents were more divided over whether most farmers would put caring for animals ahead of making money. Animals seen to be most poorly treated were poultry and pigs.

Download the full report in PDF format:

Contact for Enquiries

Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND

Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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