Exploring Climate Smart Food Production

Blinc Innovation’s Climate Smart Food Production seminar series, proudly supported by ANZ, explored what the future of food production could look like in Canterbury. Our panellists explored global trends, what the effects of changing climate could mean for the region and what our farmers and growers should be thinking about. Here are some of the key takeaways;

• Practices that were previously food producers and grower’s “own business” on farm are actually meeting consumer demands worldwide and we need to tell these stories better. Technology will assist through improved data sharing and monitoring animal health. – Susan Kilsby, ANZ

• The world is changing and we can expect changes to our climate in Canterbury, but farmers have time to prepare and will adapt. – Robyn Dynes, AgResearch

  • Climate Smart Food production will require adapting to an increase of winter rainfall, an increase of days with a maximum temperature of over 25 degrees C, 38 less frost days, earlier harvest and longer growing seasons per annum.

  • Canterbury is already leading for arable and the changing climate presents new opportunities for growers. Land use change is coming, but farmers and growers are agile and have a strong history of innovation.

• AgResearch has been developing a new tool to assist farmers and growers as they look to optimise their land use and profitability. – Seth Laurenson, AgResearch

• Tips for good dairy management from Robyn Dynes, AgResearch;

  • Ensure breeding worth

  • Have good animal health

  • Achieve same milk production from healthy animals with less replacements for maximum production per cow

  • Reduce N supply in system

  • Vaccines and inhibitors could be game-changing and are coming

• Tips for good sheep and beef management from Robyn Dynes, AgResearch;

  • Make more from less

  • Finish animals younger

  • Consider ratio of trading to breeding stock

  • Lambing hoggets and increase twin lambs

  • Lower mortality

• What other animals or plant-based options could be opportunities?

• We need to move beyond alternative protein products that just mimic meat. – Ross Milne, Leaft Foods

  • Innovation is needed to create completely new products.

  • Mixed systems are able to better utilise land and products that create edible protein for humans, by-products that can be used as animal feed and/or fuel whilst improving quality and reducing GHG emissions.

  • Alternative proteins must create appropriate value for food producers.

• Water quality will not improve for decades, each food producer has the responsibility to look at their own practices and do what they can, when financially able, to create a better future. – Allen Lim, Jade Garden

What do you see as the future of food production in Canterbury? Which system(s) will deliver the best value, both in terms of profit, and for the environment?

Thank you to the team at The New Zealand Agricultural Show, Beck & Caul, our fabulous MC, Sarah Perriam and to all of our speakers for providing great thought leadership and discussion.