5 UK could scrap NZ tariffs Vol 19 No 11, March 22, 2021
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B+LNZ defends approach Neal Wallace
B
neal.wallace@globalhq.co.nz
EEF + Lamb NZ is defending its dealings with the Government in the face of farmers claiming they are not being hard-nosed enough. There was an obvious undercurrent from many of the 150 farmers at last week’s B+LNZ annual meeting in Invercargill that their sector leaders and representatives are not being publicly assertive enough in criticising policy. Wyndham farmer Bruce Robertson told the meeting the implications for his farm of the intensive winter grazing provisions were huge and he questioned whether bodies like B+LNZ have emphasised the impact of such policy on farm businesses. Other farmers raised similar concerns, which were echoed by B+LNZ Southern South Island farmer council chair Bill McCall when wrapping up the meeting. He urged the representatives to stress the message to politicians that many of the proposed rules coming out of Wellington were not needed.
Given the volume of legislation being heaped on the sector, McCall says B+LNZ needs to ensure it does not drop the ball. “Keep the focus on it all,” he said. McCall also called on farmers to become involved in battling the rules and regulations and to also lobby regional councils as they consult in regional plans. “Don’t sit back and leave it to others,” he said. B+LNZ chair Andrew Morrison acknowledged the deluge of legislation affecting the sector, saying while 1984 was the year of the economic rest, 2021 is the year of the environmental reset. He says producer groups are collaborating in their response to the Government, but are taking a science and data-based approach, such as they did with intensive winter grazing, to argue for more workable policy. Morrison says Government relations is now a significant role for B+LNZ, requiring investment in research such as the extent of onfarm carbon sequestration and the impact of the growth of forestry on communities such as Wairoa. “If you want to be treated with
ARE YOU BEING SERVED? Kiwitea School pupils Ebi Gibson, 10, Summer Palmer, 10, Sadie Jochem, 9, Charlotte Baker, 10 and Edie Strahan, 10, keep the punters fed at the Rabobank site at Central Districts Field Days on Friday. Photo: Andy Whitson
Fun for all at Field Days AFTER last year’s cancellation, Central District Field Days returned to Feilding under sunny skies. The three-day annual event usually attracts more than 27,000 people to Manfeild each year and, if Friday and Saturday were anything to go by, farmers were pleased to see it back. Exhibitors were also pleased to be back doing face-to-face
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business with customers, with some reportedly very busy. There was the usual cutting edge machinery and equipment, along with the latest in rural innovation. The event also featured crowd-pleasers like the fencing competition, freestyle motocross and the national excavator operator competition. Kids were kept entertained
by events such as the Ultimate Canines Dog Show, Kiwiplay and Minicars, while there was also plenty of music performed by local artists and schools. For most though, it was a great chance to get off the farm and catch up with people they hadn’t seen for a while. And, they made the most of it.
