• Our Research
    • Research Strategy
    • Research Sites
    • Current Research Projects
    • Research Results
    • Research Collaborations
    • Research Resources
    • Seed Industry Research Centre
    Current Research
    Current Research
    Research Results
    Research Results
  • Resources
    • Biosecurity
    • Crop Action
    • Nutrient Management
    • Maize
    • Templates and Calculators
    • Cereals
    • Weeds
    • Pests
    • Seeds
    • Diseases
    • News
    • Environment
    • Soil
    • Schools
    Podcast
    Podcast
    Environment and Compliance
    Environment and Compliance
  • Levies & Returns
    • Arable Crops Levy
    • Maize Levy
    • Cereal Silage Levy
    • Farmer Annual Return Form
    • Wholesaler Annual Return Form
    Levies
    Levies
    Annual Returns
    Annual Returns
  • Events
  • News
  • About Us
    • Governance and growers
    • Business Strategy
    • Our People
    • Careers
    • Growers Leading Change
    • Women in Arable
    • Arable Ys
    • Arable Kids
    • Arable Research Groups (ARGs)
    Our People
    Our People
    Growers Leading Change
    Growers Leading Change
  • Ask FAR AI
  • Weather
  • Log In
Ask FAR AI
Weather
Log In
  • Homepage
  • Resources
  • Voting Begins Farmers Determine The Future Of Far

Voting begins - Farmers determine the future of FAR

Feature placeholder

FAR referendum Logo1

Eligible farmers are currently voting in the Foundation for Arable Research’s (FAR’s) fourth referendum to determine if the Foundation will continue to invest levy payers’ funds to deliver benefits to farmers, reports Nick Pyke, Chief Executive of FAR.

FAR’s recent winter road-show targeted arable farming communities nationwide and was attended by approximately 20% of the country’s growers, along with a number of industry personnel; a very pleasing response says Nick Pyke, FAR’s Chief Executive. “Those farmers in attendance were very supportive of FAR and were keen to discuss areas of research which were of particular importance to them. For example, innovation, looking at developing new food/feed products was high on the agenda along with research around regulation, particularly around nitrogen inputs and greenhouse gas emissions, a somewhat different approach to what FAR was perhaps taking six years ago when the last referendum took place.

“Talking with growers face to face is always interesting. It allows us to hear first hand the views of those investing in the research and extension FAR undertakes. As to be expected, a number of areas of concern to farmers were discussed and FAR will obviously address these, however the general consensus was that we are doing a reasonable job. Generally farmers could see it wasn’t just about increasing productivity from research, but further research was needed to ensure farmers maintained the ‘right to farm’. FAR has made a real effort to address issues around providing information around legislation and has made certain that the information farmers require has been disseminated to them to ensure they can farm sustainably.”

The development of food and feed products will also be critical to the future success of the arable industry.

“In the last five years there has been a huge increase in the use of grain by the dairy industry and this is likely to increase. The challenge for the arable industry is to identify the quality attributes the dairy industry needs; FAR is involved in a number of joint dairy/arable workshops to try and ascertain what these needs are. The arable industry needs to ensure it can produce these specific requirements in order to maximise the value. Aquaculture may also deliver opportunities to provide higher value specific quality grains or oilseeds in the future. We must also address the needs of the pork industry who are interested in grains and cultivars with desired ME. These feed opportunities need to be developed to deliver value to our farmers.”

The energy and protein from grains will become increasingly important to feed the growing population of the world. As an industry, we need to produce higher value plant based protein for use in snack foods and energy drinks and to provide energy ingredients in high value convenience foods. The value needs to come back to the grower, possibly through greater ownership of the value chain; FAR is currently working on two projects in this area.”

FAR Chairman Stuart Wright explained “I hope we all consider our FAR levy to be an investment in our businesses, not a cost. FAR is continually appraising the needs of farmers and aims to maintain the delivery of just-in–time information to allow farmers to progress. We need farmers to be supportive of FAR in this vote. Upon the result of a clear mandate for FAR’s continuation, we need to ensure levy payers are engaged in FAR’s activities, and as a result can implement new practices which will add value to thVoting beginseir farming business.”

There will be some big challenges facing farmers in the next ten years, Pyke says. “FAR aims to invest in the research and extension to ensure farmers can meet these challenges. This research will be very different to past research as technology, consumer demands, environmental demands, economic viability and the integration of farm systems evolve. We need to understand and capture as much value as possible from the value chain to ensure the on-going viability of the farm business,” Pyke concluded.

Farmers have until 2 September 2011 to vote and all those farmers that have registered will have received voting papers.

This referendum is different from the last vote. Maize growers and arable growers will have the opportunity to vote on the maize and arable levy orders, however this referendum will also give cereal silage growers the opportunity to vote on a separate levy order for cereal silage. If this new levy is passed it will be set at a rate of $10.00 (GST exclusive) per hectare harvested. All cereal silage growers will be investing in and receiving the benefits from FAR funded research. Currently only grain and seed growers receive information from FAR. FAR communicates new information to farmers with regular updates by mail, timely emails, website, media, at field days, conferences and discussion groups.

“Farmers regularly have the opportunity to input into FAR activities and to ensure the investments in research and extension are delivering benefits. However, if they don’t vote and FAR doesn’t get an adequate level of support, FAR will stop operating and farmer investment in research will cease. In the long term, government investment in research will also reduce, as we have already seen, thus the long term future for the arable industry could be grim,” Pyke said.

For more information or to register please contact FAR by phoning 03 325 6353 or emailfar@far.org.nz

Click here to view as a PDF......

Related Resources

17 September 2025

Crop Action: Issue 17, 2025

Crop Action keeps you up to date with arable crop development and actions right across New Zealand.

Read more
17 September 2025

Black-grass update

Growers are reminded to report any grass weeds that appear unfamiliar or could resemble black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides). Early reporting remains one of our strongest tools for protecting the industry.

Read more
17 September 2025

Moisture probe trial at Chertsey research site

The moisture probe trial is back for 2025-26 season. We have moisture probes from different providers installed at our Chertsey research site. View the different companies dashboards here.

Read more
17 September 2025

Maize Update 90 Maize pre-emergence herbicides and how best to use them

Pre-emergence herbicides have been the mainstay of maize weed management. This Maize Update discusses factors affecting pre-emergence herbicide success including application timing, modes of action and soil interactions. 

Read more
17 September 2025

From the Ground Up Spring 2025

Welcome to the spring 2025 edition of From the Ground Up

Read more
17 September 2025

FAR Board Vacancies

The FAR Nominations and Remunerations Committee (NRC) is calling for nominations to fill four grower director positions on the FAR Board from 1 January 2026. 

Read more
17 September 2025

Crop Action: Issue 16, 2025

Crop Action keeps you up to date with arable crop development and actions right across New Zealand.

Read more
17 September 2025

Extra 142 Nutrient management for autumn sown crops after a wet winter

Following a very wet winter, FAR has received a number of requests for information around managing yellow autumn sown crops. This Arable Extra outlines ways to distinguish between nitrogen and sulphur deficiencies and provides some information to support decision making around crop management.

Read more
17 September 2025

Extra 141 Options for replanting milling wheat (2025)

Wet conditions throughout winter 2025 have created challenges for growers across Canterbury. This Arable Extra addresses issues around 1) autumn sown wheat paddocks with drowned out patches and 2) considerations around sowing autumn milling wheat seed in the spring.

Read more
17 September 2025

Cereals update 231: Do T0 fungicides add financial value? Ten years of research says 'no'.

This Arable Update summarises yield and profitability results from 47 FAR trials since 2013, comparing programmes with and without a T0, to help guide your decision-making.

Read more

Ask FAR AI

Discover the power of AI with Ask FAR. Our new intelligent tool provides instant, accurate answers to your questions by searching the vast resources on the FAR website and linking you to the original document for further information. It’s fast, easy and reliable.

Start Chatting
  • Research
  • Levies and Returns
  • Resources
  • Events
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • Schools
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

©2022 Foundation for Arable Research