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• Introduction
• 5.1 Section A Personal and Farm Details
• 5.1.1 A1. "What is the area of your farm ?"
• 5.1.2 A2. "What farming activities have you got
• 5.1.3 A4. "Are you involved in any off farm enterprises or employment ?"
• 5.1.4 A5. "How do you define your ethnic origin ?"
• 5.1.5 A6. "What stock do you farm ?"
• 5.1.6 A7. "How long has this property been in your family ?"
• 5.1.7 A8. "At the end of your farming career, what is your future ownership intention?"
• 5.1.8 A9. "Which age group do you fall into ?"
• 5.1.9 A10. "What is your role as decision maker ?"
• 5.1.10 A12. Describe your land type. Indicate percentage of each.

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5.0 PROFILE OF FARMS AND SURVEY RESPONDENTS

Introduction

This section gathered base information about the respondent and the property that they represented. The relevant questions were all in Section A and questions G1 and G2.

The full questions are available in Appendix 1 and analysed results of those questions are shown in Appendix 2

5.1 Section A Personal and Farm Details

5.1.1 A1. "What is the area of your farm ?"

The survey covered a total area of 62,166 hectares and a pastoral area of 44,182 hectares. The survey therefore represented 7.1% of the 620 000 pastoral hectares in the Gisborne and Wairoa district. Maori properties were significantly larger (2107 ha Total and 1418 ha Effective) than the European farms (801 ha Total and 719 ha Effective).

5.1.2 A2. "What farming activities have you got

All respondents were sheep and beef farmers. Of the 49 respondents there were 11 farmers with crop or horticulture. This included 7 European farmers and 4 Maori farmers. A total of 19 farmers have farm forestry activities on the farm, this being evenly spread between European and Maori.

5.1.3 A4. "Are you involved in any off farm enterprises or employment ?"

Only two respondents indicated that they were involved in any off farm work.

5.1.4 A5. "How do you define your ethnic origin ?"

There were 26 New Zealand European farmers that completed the survey that were farming in their own right.

There were 23 Maori farming properties that responded to the survey through their owners or managers.

5.1.5 A6. "What stock do you farm ?"

The average number of stock on the European farms was significantly less than on the Maori farms. This was largely due to the smaller farm size.

In addition to the above stock six farmers had an average of 147 deer each. Two properties had an average of 273 farmed goats each.

5.1.6 A7. "How long has this property been in your family ?"

Between all the respondents 77% of the properties had been in the family for more than 20 years. The European farmers owned the property for shorter periods than the Maori. Of the Maori respondents, 14 (61%) have farmed the property for more than 50 years compared to only 10 (37%) of the European property owners.

5.1.7 A8. "At the end of your farming career, what is your future ownership intention?"

No Maori respondents would sell the farm. The majority, 73%, indicated it would be passed on to the immediate family. 48% of the European farmers intended to pass the farm on to the immediate family with 24% planning to sell and 28% undecided.

5.1.8 A9. "Which age group do you fall into ?"

There were no respondents under the age of 30. The greatest representation of European respondents were in the 40-49 age group (44% of the respondents). The Maori respondents had the highest representation in the 60+ age group with 35% of respondents. Only 4% of the European farmers were over 60.

5.1.9 A10. "What is your role as decision maker ?"

The majority of the European farmers were owner/operators (89%) and only 11% under management.

The Maori farmers were split between Managers or Supervisors (58%) and owners/trustees/committee members (42%).

5.1.10 A12. Describe your land type. Indicate percentage of each.

A similar breakdown of land type was found between the two ethnic groups. The Maori farmers did tend to have more flats with 16% compared to 9% for the European farmers. The farms are "hill country" properties with an average 26% easy hill, 42% medium hill and 19% hard hill.

Contact for Enquiries

MAF Information Services
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND

Fax: +64 4 894 0721
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