Change is happening, but it takes time

It appears that the world is under immense pressure at the moment. Current weather conditions suggest that climate change is happening possibly faster than was predicted or indeed, faster than we would have liked. The impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is affecting the world in terms of how secure people feel – particularly in the Northern Hemisphere – as well as affecting the global supply chain both in movements and increasing costs.

Closer to home, over the past few weeks our government’s change agenda has become more obvious, particularly for the primary sector. In the environment space, the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land was announced as well as the government’s response to the He Waka Eke Noa partnership’s recommendations for reducing agricultural emissions. In the labour space, Fair Pay Agreements are progressing and the Immigration minister announced an increase to the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme cap to 19,000 workers for the 2022–2023 season.

At the same time, the Government is introducing a tripartite agreement between industry, unions and the Government, meanwhile missing Pacific representation much to our industry’s frustration.

A substantive tripartite agreement between our industry, unions and the government is also in place for reviewing the settings of the RSE scheme.

This level of change is unprecedented. That is not to say that change is not needed – and in terms of climate change, the world’s response is looking like it is overdue – but what I think is being forgotten is how long change takes and how complicated it is to work through and implement.

In our industry, the application of technology is rightfully held up as being fundamental to meeting new requirements, in both the areas of the environment and labour. Few growers would argue with this but what is forgotten is how long, expensive and fraught changes in technology are. Think of how debilitating – at least in the short-term – a major computer upgrade can be on any organisation, big or small, then extrapolate that at least ten times to appreciate the impact of a major technology change on growing.

Recently, a vegetable grower voiced how they felt the biggest advance in the past 20 years was ‘tractors being able to drive in a straight line’. I think this is a good example of how complicated – and therefore, long and expensive – technology advances usually are. This then makes me think that as an industry, we had better get going – and I think that’s what our government thinks.

However, to think that industry is not innovative enough, is a mistake. Again, the ability of today’s tractors to drive in a straight line – to reduce soil compaction and increase yields by making better use of available land – after 20 years is an excellent example of how advances take time. Advances are well underway, if only because they have to be, and our growers have understood this for decades. 

It often feels like the government thinks that delivering more value – as opposed to growing more of a commodity product – is a new thing. It’s not and here’s why: it takes at least five years and up to ten years to bring innovation into the vegetable space and to the New Zealand market, let alone start to enjoy a return on investment. 

The message I have here for the government is that innovation and change is alive and well in the horticulture sector – indeed, the whole industry has been founded on innovation and change, and continues to adapt in order to develop and maintain international and domestic market share.

The outcome of such high levels of innovation and attention to changing requirements is a horticulture sector that is the envy of the world – as well as a sector that delivers for New Zealand, economically and socially. 

My message to the government on change and new requirements is this: please be careful to understand all the change that is underway, what it is already achieving, how long it has taken and how expensive it has been – before you implement requirements that seek more change from our sector.

In some areas of New Zealand, vegetables have been grown on the same land by the same families for more than 70 years. These growers know what they are doing. They may not have always used the word sustainable but their track record shows they have always known what this word means and its importance for the longevity of their businesses.  

What our growers need is a policy and regulatory environment that enables them to do what they are capable of doing and have been doing for years. Change in order to adapt to changes in growing conditions, consumer preferences and social licence norms, to increase or maintain market share – and in order to be able to keep doing what they do best and most enjoy – growing healthy, great tasting food for New Zealanders and the world.