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AMERICANS AND NEW ZEALANDERS CO-OPERATE TO CONTROL WORLD
MARKETS IN A VALUABLE OIL CROP
This is Meadowfoam, a early summer annual pasture plant
with interesting growth characteristics. The story of Meadowfoam is a good
illustration of
• How
science is continually discovering new useful plants and new uses for known
plants
• How
farmers co-operating together can capture and control a market for a new
product for the benefit of all involved
• How
a good understanding of soils and microclimates has led to new areas being
established to meet a rapidly increasing demand for the oil.
Meadowfoam was originally a humble roadside weed
found along the roadsides in the State of Oregon in the USA until scientists
discovered that the oil contained in its seed was one of the most stable
vegetable oils discovered. The oil was also seized upon by many perfume
manufacturers such as Helena Rubinstein because of its stable molecular
structure which meant that when perfumes were applied to warm skin, they
retained their potency for a longer period.
The Americans started to improve the plant through
selection and breeding of the native plant to increase the number of seeds in
the flower head and improve the yields of oil from the plant.
The American farmers formed a co-operative company at
an early stage of development of the crop to control all aspects of producing
and marketing of the crop.
This system worked well for all farmers involved
because instead of being “price takers' as most farmers are with most
agricultural products, the Meadowfoam growers were collectively able to become
“price makers”, setting prices each season in co-operation with the
major users of the product.
Farmers from the Southland region of New Zealand were
looking around the world for new crops that had the potential to grow in their
soils and cool temperate microclimates and looked closely at the meadowfoam
crop success in Oregon. The Americans heard of and liked this research and
scientific approach being adopted by the New Zealanders and, rather than
allowing a competitor to establish, invited the Southland farmers to join the
American Co-operative. As a result farmers from both countries are now part of
a single marketing organisation controlling the world markets in meadowfoam oil
and ensuring stability and control of returns.
The New Zealanders were also able to contribute
further to potentially improving the value of returns from the crop through the
discovery of improved yields through the use of bees at flowering and the
identification of a new fungicide product from the meadowfoam straw. Learn more
about this in the Crop Options module of FARMING SMARTER.
The Meadowfoam story illustrates the following
points:
• When
looking for new crops or pasture plants, a good place to look is in other parts
of the world with similar climates and soils to your own area. How to find this
information will be explained in the crop options Module of this programme.
• The
information from the soil and microclimate mapping formed the basis for good
decision-making when investigating the feasibility of a new crop for the
Southland area. Undertaking a rigorous mapping process significantly lowers the
risks of the diversification process. The Microclimates and Soils Modules of
this programme will cover how to properly gather this information and how to
best use it.
• Working
together brings better returns for all parties. Very few farmers have the
capacity by themselves to capture any significant share of a market . The Crop
Options Module of this programme discusses ways of overcoming this fact of
life.
There are many opportunities available for adding
value to most crops . The Crop Module of FARMING SMARTER will show you how to
adopt an open and enquiring approach to developing new products from your
produce.
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