OPINION: Three pieces of news that appeared at the end of 2015 should not be forgotten in 2016.

Firstly, the climate change talks in Paris included efficiencies of food production: There is no substitute for food, so which countries can produce most food with least greenhouse gas impact?

For grass fed meat and milk, New Zealand is hard to beat. The increasing integration between the dairy and beef sectors is part of the advantage, as is the longevity of dairy cows in the herd, and the judicious use of supplementary feeding.

Secondly, the World Trade Organisation has achieved progress on removing agricultural subsidies. Admittedly the removal is in the smallest component, 'export' subsidies, but the progress is a sign for the future.

Export subsidies are put in place to assist domestic producers in exporting to 'other countries'. These subsidies allow the producers to increase production without creating a glut on the domestic market. They cost the rest of society through increased taxation, but create employment. For the domestic consumer, the export subsidies mean that domestic prices for food are higher than they might be in a free market.

Of greater importance is that any form of subsidy assists food price competition where some players can compete only because of the subsidies – subsidies support their inefficiencies. New Zealand's farmers and producers, who are efficient and who are not subsidised, are not competing on a level playing field. The acknowledgement that subsidies skew the competition, coming in the same year as significant progress on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement, is good news for primary production exports. The world is recognising that food is a global resource and the impacts of its production are shared. Allowing market forces to operate, rather than trade barriers and subsidies, puts New Zealand in pole position.

The New Zealand public might still require convincing about the importance of agriculture, but the third piece of news at the end of 2015 might assist. New Zealand ranked ninth of 180 countries in the United Nations' Human Development Index. Life expectancy, access to education and income per capita are combined in the index, and New Zealand has steadily climbed the ranks since 1990.

Of the components, per capita income is the least high ranking score – and without primary production our ranking would be distinctly lower: farming, fisheries, forestry, horticulture and viticulture directly provide over 8 per cent gross domestic product and 42 per cent of exports; indirectly the contribution is much higher.

The human development index supports other reports: New Zealand was fifth place in the social progress index at the beginning of the year, ninth in the United Nations' world happiness index, and eighth in the OECD's better life lndex, reflecting high satisfaction with community, air and water quality, health, safety and education.

In November the Legatum prosperity index ranked New Zealand fourth of 142 countries, and top of the 'social capital' sub-index factoring in tolerance, trust and helping others: New Zealand is a great place to live and the indications are that it will get even better – roll on 2016.