Draft Terms of Reference for Northland Agriculture Forum Executive

Introduction

 
The Northland Agricultural Forum (NAF), previously the Northland Pastoral Development Group, was formed in 2002. With the mission to “Grow the Northland Pastoral industry through partnership and co- ordination” it has undertaken a number of projects with the initial funding assistance of Enterprise Northland.

The Forum’s strategic goals focus on the three areas of: research and development, extension and communication, and education and promotion.

The Forum views its role in delivering on these goals as one of oversight; facilitating initiatives rather than undertaking activities directly.

Currently Chaired by Julie Jonker, the Forum’s pastoral sector representatives meet quarterly.

In 2012 the Forum produced a strategy and roadmap called A Road Map to a Sustainable Future for Northland’s Pastoral Sector. The key themes were:

1. Improving People Connections – Engagement with farming businesses in order to achieve practice change
2. Developing our People – Entry, progression and leadership pathways
3. Successful Maori Farming – Economic independence through land and people resources
4. Our Environment – Achieving both compliance and attitude change

In 2015 as a result of the Tai Tokerau Northland Growth Study,   the Northland Agriculture sector was reinforced as a key economic sector for the region.

In the Ministers Foreword to the Northland Growth Study it was stated: “Farming and forestry and related processing, make a substantial contribution to the Northland economy. There is significant scope to increase incomes and employment in the region through increased productivity and added value in these and other resource based industries.”

The sector was asked to provide regional leadership and coordination to ensure that future and existing public good or sector driven growth initiatives succeed with the expected contribution to the Northland economy. In other words – turn strategies into effective action.

The Northland Agriculture Forum being an informal cross sector collective decided that a small governance is required to coordinate effort. It is proposed to form the Northland Agriculture Forum Executive to be that group

Vision

Northland’s pastoral industry is a valued and dynamic contributor to the economic, environmental and social development of the region.

Structure

The Forum selects the executive and the executive reports to the forum. Both groups do not have any legal standing at this stage.

The Executive consists of

• A chairperson who is also the sector representative on the Northland Economic Action Group (NEAG)
• A representative of the Dairy Sector
• A representative of the Beef and Lamb Sector
• A representative of the added value manufacturing
• A representative of the Rural Support Trust
• A representative of farm consultants

This group will be supported in an Ex officio capacity with no voting rights by:

• A representative from MPI
• A representative of Northland Inc

The Executive will report to the Forum at every meeting of the Forum

The representative will have a nominated alternative if absent from any meetings etc.

Executive Purpose:

To provide Regional leadership and coordination for sector growth initiatives which are either for the sector and/or public good.

Key Tasks of the Executive

1.  Construct, promote, frame and champion initiatives that will contribute to regional sector and economic growth.
2. Champion on behalf of the Forum priorities against the four themes and initiatives that will give the most economic gain for the sector.
3. Assist in finding and supporting the leadership for individual sector or public good projects or programmes.
4. Provide a stocktake and key contacts of agriculture growth initiatives happening in the region under the four themes
5. Measure progress against milestones at a macro regional level and for individual growth initiatives.
6. Develop and commission a forum website to house regional agriculture research and to be used as a communication platform to report individual initiatives progress
7. Represent the sector on the Northland Economic Action Group
8. Represent the views of the sector on other cross sector projects.
9. Provide a point of reference for government and other funding agencies.
10. Formally report annually on progress against established targets and both a macro regional level and key individual initiatives.