New Zealand News

September 2024 Produce Parable
By Adam Calder

The other day, I was stocking a New Zealand-grown seasonal specialty, Zespri brand Sungold Kiwifruit. Zespri is a grower-owned collective of kiwi farmers that started in 1997, and have grown today to have a revenue of $3.99 billion. These growers came together to aggregate their export power, and ensure a fair price for their crops. Once the farmers knew they could depend on a fair price for their work, they could focus on the farming to produce top-quality food. They also work with growers in France, Greece, Italy, Japan and South Korea to supply kiwifruit worldwide and year-round.

Coincidentally, my long-time friend and former Wheatsfield Cooperative produce employee, Darrin Vander Plas, was visiting New Zealand at that very moment as part of the Global Food Security Seminar. I texted him a picture of the Sungold kiwifruit we had in stock, thinking it was novel that I had a friend visiting the land the kiwi had come from. He replied he had just attended an informational session about those very fruits, and the unique organization that farms them!

He sent me a link to a New Zealand podcast for REX Rural Exchange, hosted by Dominic George, where Darrin was interviewed about the reason for his visit and his experiences there.

“I came to New Zealand as a participant of the Global Food Security Seminar,” Vander Plas said, “which is a collaboration of rural leaders and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. We’re all here with a focus on agriculture, climate change, technology and food security.”

When asked about what his take-aways are from meeting with the farmers of New Zealand, he had much to reflect on.

“Roughly 40 years ago,” Vander Plas said, “The crown removed subsidies from agriculture, so the budget roughly is 1-2% of the national budget. That forced farmers to pivot their operations and focus primarily on exporting their products. The type of agriculture in New Zealand has always been regenerative, it’s always been highly productive. The citizens are efficiency focused. Farmers taking this regenerative style agriculture, creating more efficiencies on their farms with a focus on exporting globally, I think is a really good model for many countries to follow.”

Darrin has moved far from his humble origins in the produce department. During his interview, he talks about his responsibilities where he currently manages the USDA Farm Loan program in Maui County, Hawaii.

“The Farm Service agency where I work is divided into two primary functions,” Vander Plas said. “One part of it is disaster assistance and ag marketing support, and that’s collectively called Farm Programs. Then you have the Farm Loan Programs, that I oversee in Maui County. The Farm Loan Program includes direct from loans from the US Government, which are funded by Congress, as well as guaranteed loans through commercial lenders… so a program to entice commercial banks to make more loans to farm businesses.”

Before Maui, Darrin worked with rural communities in Uganda and The Gambia. In his travels and experiences with agriculture all over the world, he has gained some unique insights into what it will take to have viable family farms going into the future.

“A farmer must be proactive, and not reactive.” Vander Plas said. “You must build a local customer base first, before expanding. Be prepared to pivot your business early, and fast, to meet changing market demands. You must have the next generation commitment. Keep debt payments low, while increasing revenue. Constantly plan, work hard, and with, your community. Ensure the famer is as healthy and supported as the crops and livestock. Diversify income sources. Focus on production and price. Farmers must be able to live on their farm. The farm must be able to plan for a profit to obtain all the above priorities.”

I couldn’t be prouder of Darrin, and how far he has come in life. I know he will keep up the excellent work, and do his best to create a food-secure future for us all.