APPENDIX ONE : Description of the Case Study Farms
The following descriptions provide a vignette of the farm, the family's stage in life, the expectations of the family with respect to the necessity for off-farm work before the farm was purchased and/or before off-farm work was undertaken, and the off-farm work situation.
Farm A
Farm A is an intensive and fully developed sheep and beef farm of a little under 3000 stock units, running a breeding ewe flock and a beef fattening operation. It is located 61 km from the nearest centre [ A centre is defined as a village or town with at least one school and one retail outlet.] , and 100 km from the nearest city.
The family has teenage and adult children. The farm had supported the farming family for many years, but 5-6 years ago, with an increase in demand for money for children's education, and falling output prices, part-time work was engaged in by the male partner. The hours worked by the male partner have increased over time, and the nature of his off-farm occupation has become increasingly professional.
The necessity to work off the farm has been unexpected, and in many respects, a disappointment to the male partner. The disappointment stems from a sense of failure that the farm business has not generated the expected income, despite the labour and capital invested in it over a long period. However, off-farm work has also satisfied personal aspirations that farming could not. The female partner has held a part-time off-farm job for many years.The male partner is now in full-time professional employment (which is unrelated to agriculture), travelling some 70 km to work [ The distance references in this section are one-way. The round trip to work and home again is double the figures cited.] each day, or occasionally staying overnight with members of the extended family who live in town. He also works on the farm. The female partner has taken over management, and most of the physical work of the farm, and works part-time as a clerical worker in the locality of the farm. The off-farm income generated is used primarily to provide high quality education for the children. Without off-farm income, the farm would have to be sold or the quality of the children's education compromised. Neither option is viewed as a reasonable alternative by the farmers.
Farm B
Farm B is a property running approximately 1000 stock units, comprising a breeding ewe flock, and an intensively managed beef operation involving multiple suckling of a small breeding cow herd. Calves are mainly sold at the weaner sales. A flock of approximately 40 goats is retained for weed control. Nearly one-quarter of the property is in bush. The farm is located 8 km from the nearest centre and 80 km from the nearest city.
The family has adult children who no longer live at home.
The farm was purchased initially as a stepping stone unit, with the expectation that off-farm work would be an integral part of the operation.
The male partner has worked intermittently off the farm since purchase over 15 years ago. Various full- and part-time jobs have been taken up within his off-farm profession (which is related to agriculture), over the years, sometimes working from home, sometimes living away from home, and sometimes travelling up to 80 km. The female partner works as a relief worker in her profession (which is unrelated to agriculture), travelling variable distances between 10 and 40 km. Both partners take an active role in running the farm. The off-farm income generated has been used to develop the farm, especially fencing and fertiliser, while minimising debt. Without off-farm work, the farmers felt they would have made no progress at all with the farm, and they would probably have sold the farm during the downturn of the late 1980's.
Farm C
Farm C partially supports two families, both of which have members working off the farm. The farm runs approximately 4000 stock units, comprising breeding ewes, breeding cows, finishing cattle, dairy grazers, and breeding deer hinds. Over 40% of the property is in bush, and there is a block of pines. The farm is located 5 km from the nearest centre and nearly 70 km from the nearest city.
Both families have primary school age children.
The farm was purchased with the expectation that off-farm work would be necessary to support the debt on the farm and to provide reasonable living expenses for both families.
Only one of the families running the farm was interviewed. In this family, the male partner works part-time in an agricultural servicing profession, travelling around 20 km to work, and the female partner works part-time in a professional occupation (which is unrelated to agriculture), travelling around 30 km to work. Both partners in the family interviewed also work on the farm. The income generated by off-farm work is used to provide for household expenditure (although a small amount is drawn from the farm for basic living expenses), and for children's needs. Without off-farm income, the farmers felt the property would have to be sold.
Farm D
Farm D is fully grassed and developed, carrying over 3000 stock units. A breeding ewe flock, and a herd of breeding cows are carried, and the farmer has a policy of breeding all the farm's replacements, and fattening all the progeny for both stock types. In addition, a breeding herd of deer hinds is carried. The farm is located 16 km from the nearest centre and nearly 150 km from the nearest city.
The family has adult and teenage children.
In 1995, the male partner took up his career again after a long period outside the profession, in response to a community need, rather than in response to financial pressure. The profession is unrelated to agriculture.
The male partner travels 16 km to work. The female partner has worked off the farm in her profession (which is unrelated to agriculture) for a number of years, and her work base is also located 16 km from the farm. Although off-farm work was not engaged in by the male farmer for pecuniary gain, the income earned has been, to use the farmer's words, "very handy" in the light of the depressed returns from farming, and has been used to provide for household expenses, children's education, debt servicing, deferred repairs and maintenance expenses on the farm, and maintenance fertiliser. Without off-farm income, the farmer was resolute that the farm would not be sold (the farm is a family farm), but that he would find off-farm work somewhere if his present job was not available.
Farm E
Farm E is harder hill country than the other farms in the study, and is larger and less developed. The farm carries over 4000 stock units, comprising a breeding ewe flock (with a recently introduced policy of fattening the progeny); along with breeding cows, and cattle for fattening. Nearly 20% of the farm is in bush and scrub. The farm is located 40 km from the nearest centre and over 200 km from the nearest city.
The family have one pre-school aged child.
Although the farm was purchased with the expectation that the female partner would work off the farm, it was not expected that the male partner would also have to engage in off-farm work. The necessity of working off-farm has been a disappointment and a frustration to the male partner.
The male partner engages in agricultural and silvicultural work in the neighbourhood, mainly in winter. The female partner commutes 65 km to her full time professional job (which is unrelated to agriculture). The off-farm income generated is used for all household expenditure, farm and some operating expenses/farm development (spraying of ring-fern). Without off-farm income, the farmers felt that there would be no alternative but to sell the farm.
Farm F
Farm F is moderate hill country, all in grass apart from a small block of plantation pines. The farm runs over 2000 stock units, including a breeding ewe flock, a stud flock, and a herd of breeding cows. In previous years the lambs from the non-stud flock have been sold fat, and the cattle progeny sold as weaners. However, for various reasons these policies have been reversed this year. The farm is located 16 km from the nearest centre, and over 150 km to the nearest city.
The family have teenage children.
The farm is a family farm, which had previously supported the family. Off-farm work was taken on by both partners because of lower product prices and an increased need for income for educating the family's children. The necessity for off-farm income was unexpected, and a disappointment to the male partner.
The male and female partners both took on off-farm work in 1996. The male partner travels 40 km to his agricultural processing job, and the female partner travels the same distance to her professional job (which is unrelated to agriculture). The male partner's off-farm job involves shift work, with frequent night shifts. The income generated by off-farm work is used to provide all household expenditure, to provide for the children's education, for maintenance fertiliser, and for savings.
Farm G
Farm G is made up of two small intensively farmed blocks, one of which was leased to a neighbour for dairy grazing when off-farm work was taken on by the male partner. The remaining block carries a beef herd of a little over 200 stock units. The farmhouse is located 8 km from the nearest centre and 80 km from the nearest city.
The family has adult children who no longer live at home.
The farm was purchased with the expectation that the female partner would have to work off the farm, but not the male. The male partner took on off-farm work in response to falling product prices, and is disappointed at the type of work he has been required to take on.
The male partner began off-farm work in 1996, and currently travels an average of 20 km to work in an agricultural servicing job. The female partner has worked off the farm for many years in a professional career (which is unrelated to agriculture), travelling 8 km to work. The income generated by off-farm work is used mainly to service the debt on the farm, but also to provide extra household expenditure (basic essentials are provided from net farm income), farm operating expenses (maintenance fertiliser and weed control) and some farm development. The farmer felt that there were no alternatives to off-farm work for him.
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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