The organics sector is expanding rapidly and the Board of Organics Aotearoa New Zealand considers that the future provision of an extension service is needed to underpin the ability of producers to efficiently convert to organic systems and then to further develop the sustainability of their...

Resource Management's Act current “first come first served” method of distributing water rights is fast becoming inadequate to handle this increasingly over-allocated factor of production. Water markets or tariffs are one way to achieve allocative efficiency. To establish such markets or...

The paper describes an innovative approach to stakeholder consultation about agricultural land uses and water quality in rural waterways. In mid-2012 the authors prepared a number of policy scenarios from published regional council planning documents, addressing sediment, nutrients and...

This is a broad-ranging discussion of the role of economics and economists in the formation of government policies. The focus is on helping economists who wish to be influential in the policy process. The paper covers rationales for and against economist involvement in the policy process (market...

This paper identifies and synthesises strategic opportunities and challenges facing New Zealand’s sheep meat and beef sector over the next 10 to 15 years. A Delphi survey draws on the sector’s collective knowledge and identifies areas of consensus and divergence of opinion. Using the results...