5 March 2008 Lincoln graduate offered US invitation to study changing dynamics of livestock marketing

Research into how New Zealand red meat farmers are attempting to increase profitability by marketing their own product has led to new Lincoln University graduate Ross Bowmar being offered the opportunity to participate in a global livestock research programme in the USA.

As part of his Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree, completed with First Class Honours in Farm Management, Ross researched five South Island red meat farmers who are seeking to increase profitability by marketing some of their products themselves. He wanted to know what motivated them and how successful they were, and he wrote up his findings for his honours dissertation titled Farmer Level Marketing.

“Farmers have a bit of a reputation for complaining about their returns so I decided to talk to farmers who have done something about it. I found that there are other options to the traditional ones and they are more readily available and easier than a lot of people think,” says Ross, who was raised on a Southland sheep and beef farm.

“They export overseas, sell through farmers’ markets and trade to restaurants and hotels. The biggest challenges were getting the meat processed and the time it takes to build up trust and relationships. However they have the advantage of traceability from the farm to the plate and they enjoy the buzz of success.”

Ross has now been invited to study at Michigan State University towards a Masters degree in Agricultural Economics. This will also involve participating in a global livestock research programme on the changing dynamics of livestock marketing channels in response to consumer concerns about animal welfare, food safety and other issues. This is a multi-country, multi-institution, interdisciplinary study.

“Sustainability is going to be the issue of the 21st century,” says Ross, “and economics is about managing resources. You have to balance economics and the environment. Lincoln University is recognised for this kind of interdisciplinary approach.

“When I used to tell people I was a student at Lincoln University they would say, are you going to be a farmer? Yes, farming is bred into me and I’ve always enjoyed working with sheep and cattle but there so many more opportunities than that. Agricultural science was a good option because it is very broad so I didn’t get locked into anything specific. Most people get jobs at the end of it and well paying ones at that.”

Ross’ Lincoln studies were subsidised by scholarships from Meat & Wool New Zealand, the South Island Field Days, Landcorp, Lincoln University, Jeff Farm, Westpac and Community Trust of Southland.

Michigan State University will provide him with a research or teaching assistantship to help meet costs towards his postgraduate studies which begin in August.

Currently Ross is working with Lincoln University’s Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit (AERU). The unit is directed by Professor Caroline Saunders, the 2007 winner of the NZ Institute of Economic Research’s Economics Award.  

About Lincoln University’s Agriculture and Life Sciences Division
Agriculture and Life Sciences is Lincoln University’s second-largest division, providing teaching and research in a number of areas including: Animal Science, Farm Management, Horticultural Management; and Food and Wine Science.   It has a number of specialised research units including the Centre for Soil and Environmental Quality; Centre for Viticulture and Oenology; and Centre for Advanced Computational Solutions.  The Division operates its own vineyard, horticultural research area, winery and nursery, and has three research farms.