During the past 18 months, BLNZ has made significant changes to how it rolls out its extension activities.
It has regionalised a lot of the decision-making that was previously handled centrally. Hence, farmers within each of the six director electorate regions have more say in what BLNZ does.
Two specialist field staff teams have been formed, so that in each region there is a survey manager, who carries out BLNZ's economic survey and collates data from the electorate; and an extension manager, who oversees and contributes to extension activities.
Each year, regions are assigned a total budget for local extension activities and it's up to the farmer council in the region to decide how that money should be invested.
A region delivery plan (RDP) is developed, which outlines the year's activities and the benefits those activities will bring.
The farmer council plays an instrumental role in formulating the RDP. The council members work on behalf of their region's sheep and beef farmers to ensure BLNZ is aware of the issues relevant to farmers and that the most relevant and valuable activities are delivered.
The council's members also contribute to the management of the Monitor Farm programme, run their own seminars and play a key advisory role to BLNZ nationally.
A key focus of the central South Island RDP over the coming year is on working locally providing support to local farming groups, such as discussion groups, focus groups, young farmers clubs and women in farming groups, and providing workshops, advice and funding for local initiatives.
We will continue our successful monitor farm programmes, which now operate around an issues-based approach.
We have a series of workshops "on the shelf" that we can provide at no cost and on demand. These include the FeedSmart, FlockMaster, ForageMaster and Q-Graze workshops.
We are also planning at least two significant field days, including one hosted at Lone Star Farm's Caberfeidh property in the Hakataramea Valley on November 3.
Centrally, BLNZ is helping put into action recommendations made in the red meat industry strategy.
I think we've all been around long enough to realise that success will come only if these very sound recommendations make it off the paper and into reality.
While it's a good time to be a sheep and beef farmer, we need to be proactive if we want to see current prices continue and sustainability introduced into our sector.
I am an optimist. I believe tremendous opportunities lie ahead: a genuine revitalisation of the agricultural sector and greater collaboration between sector players. And I know Beef and Lamb New Zealand will play an important role in that change.
• Beef and Lamb New Zealand central South Island director Anne Munro farms Wairewa Station, a 1037ha hill-country property near Fairlie, with her husband, Philip.