North Canterbury News: November 19, 2020

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North Canterbury News, November 19, 2020
2280266v1
25
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Unexpected career ... Emma Higgins is enjoying her career advising the dairy industry.
PHOTO: DAVID HILL
Emma succumbs to
the lure of agriculture
By DAVID HILL
Growing up on asheep and beef farm,
Emma Higgins never imagined she would
have acareer advising dairy farmers.
The RaboResearch dairy analyst had
ambitions to be alawyer while growing
up on the family farm.
‘‘I always thoughtIwould neverbe
involved in agriculture. Istudied law at
Canterbury (University) and got ajob in
Wellington working with corporate
clients and it was fun for afew years, but
Ifelt the draw to comeback to
agriculture.
‘‘So Iended up working with cows in
North Canterbury —‘the dark side’,as
my dad put it.’’
Her job drawsonher legal skills and
research skills, as she seekstomake
sense of the global dairy markets and
dairy issues, and report back to
Rabobank and its clients,dairy farmers
and the media.
The job, as the only New Zealandbased
dairy analystfor RaboResearch, a
division of Rabobank, requires alot of
travel.
‘‘In ordinary times, outsideofCovid, I
travel the length of the countryvisiting
farmers and going on farm, and talk to
processors, trying to get afeel for what
New Zealand’s production looks like.
‘‘I coverthe New Zealandside of
things, but Ihave colleagues around the
worldwho cover the dairy industry in
theirregions,soweput it all together and
see what the supply and demand of milk
around the world looks like.’’
It means Rabobank can predictwhat
the farmgate milk price might look like
for Kiwifarmers, though it is ‘‘quite
challenging and complex’’ to get it right,
she says.
The conservative predictionatthe
moment is $6.35 per kilogramofmilk
solids, but alot depended on the
fluctuations in the global dairy trade over
the next few months and how much
demand there is in China.
‘‘There has beenvery strong buying in
Chinaacross most of this year.
‘‘We are seeing China’s localmilk
productionrise, so there is aconcern if
they do decide to change their buying
strategy, it will presentsome risk.
‘‘We think their stock levels are at the
highest they havebeen since 2014,soit’s
unusual.’’
New Zealand’s success in managing the
outbreak of Covid­19 means it is seen as
‘‘a safeand reliable market’’, whichadds
‘‘another layer to the provenance story’’
for Kiwi farmers ‘‘and that’s wherethe
opportunity lies’’,Emma says.
Environmentalregulations will also
have an impact, she says.
‘‘Change is needed, but the devilisin
the detail. We don’t argueagainst the
reform, but it’s about providing more
tools in the toolbox so they(farmers) can
meet their environmental obligations.’’
Adry summer also beckonsand, with
the La Ninaweatherpattern forecast in
North Canterbury, it willalso have an
impact.
Metro
network
changes
From Sunday 29 November,
look out for:
–New timetablesfor someroutes
–Adifferent operatororbus colour
on someroutes
Visitmetro.co.nz
formoreinformation.
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