MPI refreshes strategy - Agrarian Rural Marketing
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INSIGHT
UPFRONT
MPI
MPI refreshes strategy
The Ministry for Primary Industries is trying to get all New Zealanders onside with
promoting the success of the agriculture sector. Phil Edmonds reports.
hile primary sector revenue Zealand’s natural resources are sustainable, On one level MPI’s shift towards
W growth is almost exclusively
determined by consumers
in countries with little or no
protecting the country from biological risk
and growing the value of primary sector
exports.
being a more overt champion and
promoter of agriculture could be viewed
as simply evolutionary and a pragmatic
interest in what New Zealanders think The fourth is a new concept, acceptance that it needs to continue
of their own industries, the Government ‘participation’. This outcome is about adding strings to its bow to enable the
has decided growth will be compromised ensuring New Zealanders participate in the sector to flourish. Some others might
without improving the domestic success of the primary industries. see this as a departure from what has
reputation of farming. As a result, the In framing the strategy refresh, then historically been its core business –
Ministry for Primary Industries is now director-general Martyn Dunne said essentially as an administrator of the
trying to get all New Zealanders onside, MPI is having to respect new demands primary industries.
reflected in a significant change to its for primary sector exports that meet An MPI spokesperson told Dairy Exporter
objectives. ethical welfare requirements, adapt to the the participation outcome was developed
Last October MPI released its Strategic challenges of climate change and deal because now more than ever, its ability
Intentions 2018-2023, a follow up five- with unprecedented threats to biosecurity to continue to deliver for New Zealanders
year plan from its previous 2015-2020 systems. MPI could no longer meet these requires the public to be more deeply
document. The strategy refresh sets challenges on its own and would need to engaged.
out four key outcomes, three familiar collaborate more widely with partners, MPI says while engaging the public
from the last edition – ensuring New communities and New Zealanders. is expected to improve MPI’s role as
16 Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | March 2019
on public perception like MPI now is. MPI now has a positive attitude towards
“We do tend to lead, and we are at collaboration and working together with
the cutting edge of the people issues. others.”
Ireland’s Origin Green for example, doesn’t Copeland has also seen a greater
have that focus – it’s very much around emphasis on openness which has been
sustainability and is product-focused.” evident through new director-general Ray
He says the preoccupation is unique to Smith’s willingness to meet and engage
NZ. “But what we have to remember is that with farmers.
agriculture is such a huge part of the fabric More generally, Copeland says “The
of society here, which is why it matters image of agriculture needs to improve.
more to New Zealand than anybody else.” There’s no doubt about that. We don’t get
Long overdue
a lot of cut through in urban media and
Mike Petersen. the action being taken by MPI can only
MPI becoming an active ‘champion’ help with this.”
‘protector’ through helping to detect and has plenty of support within the sector
eradicate pests and diseases, ensuring where there is a clear sense a vacuum
animals are treated well, and ensuring needed to be filled. Some of this is born
NZ has a sustainable and enduring from a frustration around challenges to
environment, it also believes a more agriculture’s domestic reputation but also a
prosperous sector will help to strengthen sense that NZ has not adequately addressed
the public’s perception of the primary the need to project a unique primary sector
industries. story to overseas markets.
NZ’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy St John Craner, managing director
Mike Petersen believes the change in focus of rural marketing company Agrarian
is evolutionary. says MPI’s proactivity reflects a legacy of
St John
“The inclusion of participation in the leadership deficit.
Craner
new strategy is more about an evolution “A lot of organisations have been
rather than having been deliberately scrambling to try and tell the agricultural
How to measure
ignored in the past. It’s a continuation story. The shift is a very noble and
participation?
of the work started under the previous worthwhile cause. And it is long overdue.
government although there is definitely “We all know that there is an increasing
more urgency now. There’s no doubt divide and misunderstanding in The support given to MPI’s refocus is not
that the Provincial Growth Fund and the communication between rural and urban necessarily unqualified, however. With
Government’s determination to invest in New Zealand. We do need to close that the increase in investment MPI is clearly
provincial New Zealand has contributed gap, improve understanding, improve giving to participation, those who remain
to some greater focus on community communication and someone has to lead more concerned with MPI getting the
engagement.” that.” basics right are curious to know what
Taking on the Petersen agrees and effective participation looks like and how
challenge of notes events have it will be measured.
changing public ‘The inclusion of contributed to MPI’s Craner has some concerns over how
perception in the decision to broaden success will be evaluated.
sector as part of
participation in the new its reach. While there “Ultimately, unless it turns up in higher
core business does strategy is more about has been residual prices for sheep and beef farmers or dairy
appear to have an evolution rather than concerns about farmers in New Zealand then how do you
pushed MPI into having been deliberately MPI sticking to its determine its success? There does need to
territory not shared knitting, engaging the be a commercial outcome.”
by MPI-equivalent
ignored in the past. It’s a public has become And while supportive of the direction
organisations in continuation of the work MPI’s knitting. being taken, Copeland says measuring
other markets. started under the previous “To some extent successful participation will be tricky, and
Neither Australia’s government although their hands have been it is not immediately obvious how this will
Department for forced by a whole be done.
Agriculture and
there is definitely more lot of biosecurity In its 2018 Annual report, MPI noted
Water Resources, urgency now.’ incursions that key indicators for measuring progress on
nor Ireland’s they’ve had to get on participation include those that reflect
Department of top of. They’ve had to increasing public trust in primary sector
Agriculture, Food and the Marine for reach out.” systems through a greater willingness
example have within their remits the As well as the wider public, Federated to share MPI information, more public
challenge of encouraging active, informed Farmers chief execeutive Terry Copeland confidence in systems MPI leads to
and engaged communities. is particularly pleased MPI’s adoption regulate, and the opinion of the primary
Petersen isn’t aware of any other of participation is benefiting farming sector among the NZ public is increasingly
countries where their primary sector’s communities. positive.
governmental arm is placing importance “We’re delighted about the change. MPI points to fewer biosecurity incidents
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | March 2019 17
But will it lead to
and generating more interest in primary conditions are tougher and are an
higher export prices?
sector jobs as outcomes where its work on impediment to people being drawn to
public perception of the sector could be primary sector jobs. In partnership with
judged. AGMARDT, MPI launched and has held It is the benefits of participation to
Projects underway include the strategy the inaugural Primary Industries Good the wider economy that perhaps
to build a biosecurity team of 4.7 million, Employer Awards. These awards recognise unsurprisingly generates the most
which is involving partnerships with and reward primary industry employers interest from close observers and industry
businesses, communities, organisations, who are demonstrating exceptionally good participants. More specifically, the
Maori, and central, local and regional employment practices. lingering questions are to what extent an
government. MPI concludes that “All of these efforts improved domestic public perception of
A new independent biosecurity brand help to build the reputation of the primary farming will translate into primary sector
‘Ko Tatou This Is Us’ was launched last year industries, in terms of the contribution export growth, and what role MPI should
to support this movement. Ko Tatou This they make to New Zealanders, including play in projecting the perception of NZ
Is Us emphasises that biosecurity helps to our rural communities, and our wider agriculture in overseas markets.
protect everything that shapes our way of economy.” Copeland thinks there is a link between
life, from the food we enjoy eating, the
outdoor environment where we fish, hunt,
farm and explore to the beautiful fauna THE MANDATED FUNCTION OF MPI AND
and flora Aotearoa provides.
“We also encourage public participation
INTERNATIONAL EQUALS:
NZ: Ministry for Primary Industries:
in biosecurity through marketing and
• Ensure New Zealand’s natural resources are sustainable in the primary sector
behaviour change programmes. This • Protect New Zealand from biological risk and ensure products are safe for all
includes keeping watch and reporting any consumers.
suspicious looking pests and diseases. An • Grow the value of food and primary sector exports
example of this is the Brown Marmorated • Ensure New Zealanders participate in the success of the primary industries
Stink bug, which we run annual awareness
campaigns on,” an MPI spokesperson said. Australia: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
MPI’s campaign to boost primary • Build successful primary industries
sector skills and capability has involved • Expand agriculture, fisheries and forestry exports
• Sustain water and other natural resources
working closely with other government
• Manage biosecurity and imported food risk
departments, industry organisations
and industry education organisations to Ireland: Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine
promote the diversity of primary careers • Promote and safeguard public, animal and plant health and animal welfare
and attract the next generation of workers. • Provide income and market supports to underpin the rural economy
MPI has also taken the step to champion • Provide the policy framework for the sustainable development of the agri-
good employers in the sector – no doubt food sector
in response to perceptions that working
18 Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | March 2019
Terry Copeland an improved image of agriculture within NZ and growing primary sector exports. “The more we can be seen to be doing the right thing, the greater potential we have of reaching more markets.” MPI’s focus on building the reputation of NZ’s primary sector as good employers and dedicated to animal welfare certainly chime with attributes identified as “Countries are defined by their from that audience. But if you are talking important to consumers in both NZ and in companies, not their governments. to an international market do you need a high value markets overseas. For example, Germany is defined by mandate from New Zealanders? Did the Petersen and Craner are however both reputation and attributes associated Flight of the Conchords suffer from not clear that while MPI might be well-placed with Mercedes, BMW and Audi, Sweden having a mandate when they went to to build a positive image of agriculture is defined by Volvo and Switzerland by the US and HBO picked them up because within the country, it shouldn’t be MPI’s Tissot watches. So you should really let the TVNZ snubbed them? No.” job to project that to consumers of our private sector tell their story rather than MPI’s participation strategy doesn’t products in other markets. rely on a top-down approach.” directly speak to international audiences. “I don’t think it is MPI’s job to lead Craner is also wary about believing It is a first-things-first approach where that,” Petersen says. “MPI can enable it but an improved perception of farming the focus is in some respects reactive, the sector needs to lead it. It is much better and agriculture among New Zealanders addressing the primary sector’s immediate if the companies that are procuring and translates into an equally improved respect concerns of ensuring it continues to have processing and marketing the products for our products in overseas markets. a social licence to operate and produce actually lead the brand story of New “The person who ultimately decides the within NZ. Nevertheless, success here Zealand – but with MPI’s close engagement value of products is the one who consumes should at least create more confidence and close support.” them. If you are talking to a domestics for the sector to boast about its virtues Craner agrees. market of course you need a mandate offshore. 20 Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | March 2019
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