Working the land but rarely owning it: life for New Zealand's young farmers

"Photograph: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images Historically an agricultural country, dairy, meat, kiwifruit and apples are still major exports for New Zealand. While the number of farms has declined, some have grown from small holdings into big businesses."

"New Zealand's farmer-owned dairy co-operative, Fonterra, has recently sold its consumer businesses to French dairy giant Lactalis for nearly NZ$4bn ($2.3bn). Yet while dairy fetches record prices, it's difficult for young farmers like Clayton to follow the traditional path to farm ownership. In the past, young farmers would often run a farm owned by someone else in return for a share of the profits, while saving to purchase land of their own."

Cam Clayton breeds sheep and cattle on a farm south of Auckland, working with dogs he trained and overlooking Waikato hills and gullies. The number of farms in New Zealand fell from 70,336 in 2002 to 47,250 two decades later, a 33% decline, and farming land area shrank by 15% over the same period. Dairy, meat, kiwifruit and apples remain major exports, and Fonterra sold its consumer businesses to Lactalis for nearly NZ$4bn. Rising land prices and consolidation into larger businesses limit starter farm availability, forcing young farmers to lease, save longer, and seek alternative income streams.

Read at www.theguardian.com