Federated Farmers' outgoing meat and fibre chairman believes he is leaving on a high.
"I can report a sector that is in its most buoyant mood in a very long time," Bruce Wills said in his final address as chairman at the organisation's annual conference in Rotorua yesterday.
When he took on
the role in 2008, Wills said farmers in the sector were suffering their poorest profitability for 50 years.
"An average prime lamb was returning just $58, heads were down and 'convert to dairy' was a catch cry in many areas."
The group set the target of attaining a price of $150 for a good, mid-season lamb by 2013 and, as of April this year, prices had risen 58 per cent to $116.
"It remains an aspirational goal to focus the entire industry on a level of profitability necessary to ensure long-term growth and prosperity for the entire sheep sector."
But he warned there was still a long way to go.
"Our current and improved profitability helps, but one season does not make a trend. To those who are extrapolating the gains we are yet to make, can I ask you to temper your enthusiasm until we know this is sustained and enduring."
Wills urged everybody to read the Meat Sector Strategy, describing it as "the most important document the sector has seen for decades".
It highlighted behavioural changes needed to ensure a better future for the industry and Wills said he hoped farmers would actively engage with the report.
"I have learned that blaming others for our predicament doesn't help. This is our problem and we need to own it.
"Strong commodity returns and supply shortages are merely offering us some breathing space.
Let's take this opportunity to give some real focus to bringing about the behavioural changes outlined in the strategy report."
