Mark Crawford and Jason Miller "It takes two ticks for positive change"
Jason Miller
Jason, 42, farms with his wife Jocelyn and three children in a family partnership based around a 620ha
property in Eastern Southland, and a 3450ha block in Northern Southland.
As an extension to his studies at Lincoln University (graduated 1986) Jason continued to develop his
business skills in agriculture by completing a post-graduate course with the University of Minnesota (USA).
Upon returning to NZ he managed the Mt Linton Station finishing farm "Waitoru."
A member of the Otago-Southland Sheep Council for six years - the last two as Chairman, Jason is
currently studying to become a Kellogg Scholar (Lincoln University) with his chosen topic of study being
the current meat co-operative marketing model and exploration of new ideas.
Included in his work, Jason is extensively researching innovative and world-leading marketing strategies
which is an area identified as key to bringing sustainability and profit back to Alliance shareholders.
With 90% of his family income derived from sheepfarming, he is reliant on this industry and is committed
to bringing positive change, growth and profit back to Alliance Group and shareholders.
Motivated by the desire to make a difference in the meat industry, Jason has been part of the Meat Industry Action Group spending much of this year meeting and consulting with industry leaders, politicians and
farmers.
Community Involvement:
• Past Chairman Otago/Southland Sheep Council
• Past Board of Trustee (6 years) – Te Tipua School
29 November 2007 - Traditional thinking in our beleaguered meat industry is being well and truly challenged by two of this year's Kellogg Rural Leadership participants.
Southland farmer Jason Miller and South Canterbury farmer Neil Campbell have thrown the spotlight on present cooperative marketing practices and quota management.
The Kellogg participants, this week, presented their projects to a Lincoln University panel made up of some of the country's leading marketing and commerce academics.
Their projects are well timed as both subjects are under some scrutiny at present, with many industry leaders starting to focus on the on-going poor returns to sheep farmers and subsequent precarious future of the sheep industry.
Marketing
Mr Miller, also a candidate in the current Alliance Group Board of Directors elections, has spent the past eight months researching the meat cooperative marketing models including historic and current practices - and then, investigating future initiatives to maximise returns.
Mr Miller's project, while identifying issues resulting from the current practices, also put forward an outline of what could be achieved in marketing if the current thinking were to change.
"It focuses on marketing initiatives to increase returns to cooperative shareholders. There is more in-depth work to go into strengthening the findings but it provides a searching report on where the industry should head to secure a strong and sustainable future."
Feeling extremely buoyed following his presentation and assessment, Mr Miller said there were three different projects all focused on the meat industry, presented this year - "all related to what is happening now and why we have to break out of this cycle of last man standing.
"This failure to working collaboratively will destroy the industry."
Professor of marketing and past-assistant Vice-Chancellor (Business Development) at Lincoln University, Tony Zwart, described the project as very good and said he would like to see Mr Miller continue to work on his proposal for the meat industry.
While we have examples of meat companies working together in the market place it is Mr Miller's proposal to this united approach of working together to collaborate marketing, from source, that is unique.
Quota management
Neil Campbell, whose project was focused on quota management, said farmers have formed the view that the number of meat company players is having a detrimental effect on quota rationing "so I wanted to see what improvements could be made."
At present New Zealand's 226,000tonne annual EU quota is allocated by Meat NZ while most EU quota is allocated via Brussels.
The contentious issue is how quota is distributed to meat processors and Mr Campbell was astounded by what his research revealed.
The project investigated the areas highlighted as being of concern i.e.; the 2% quota held for new entrants, local consumption impact on quota eligibility and the time frame used to average out current quota allocation.
"But the influence these three areas are having on actual quota allocation and resulting lamb returns is absolutely minimal."
Mr Campbell said undoubtedly he would like to see these issues managed better, but the real issue is actually the 85% of quota held by six of the larger export companies and the behaviour of these six.
'This is much more crucial."
To highlight this, Mr Campbell said in the early 2000s there were more export companies supplying the market but the prices where better than now. Adding to this, he points out that there have been no new entrants taking up the 2% quota allocation in the past three years.
To sum up, Mr Campbell said basically the present quota system, while not perfect, is pretty good.
The third meat industry-related project was by James Reeves, and investigates the opportunity and threats in meat industry economic policy.
Mark Crawford
Mark, 47, farms a 215ha intensive sheep and beef property at Aparima, Southland, with his wife Mandy
and two children.
A Lincoln University graduate, Mark became a Kellogg's Scholar in 2005.
Mark has long-held an interest in marketing and global consumer demands so became a Food &
Agribusiness Marketing Experience participant last year.
FAME has a focus on developing
leadership talent and capabilities in the food and agribusiness sectors, for tomorrow's global markets. It is a
unique experience for emerging leaders to develop their knowledge from both within NZ and abroad.
During the course of his study, Mark travelled to the US, Europe, China and Japan investigating
production, processing and retail sites.
Much of Mark's study, including travel, has been self-funded.
While Chairman of the Meat Industry Action Group, Mark travelled extensively within NZ meeting with
meat industry executives, politicians and our farmers.
Mark is passionate about the industry and believes in
the principles of a strong, farmer-owned co-operative that is market, and not procurement, driven.
He has a
sound understanding of the present situation facing sheepfarmers and is committed to serving the interest of
Alliance Group shareholders.
Community Involvement:
• Past Chairman Meat Industry Action Group
• Chairman Otautau Community Health Trust
• Deputy Chairman Takitimu PHO
• Past Director Otautau Saleyards
• Past President Otautau Lions Club
and Jason Miller 
