Farmers are pawns of the urban vote
Looks like another dry summer for pastoral livestock farmers to manage, four dry summers in the last six.
But we should have honed our management practices to adapt to this drought challenge.
Mid-February had evapotranspiration higher than this same time last year. With current soil temperature 20 degrees Celsius-plus our pasture moisture deficits can be readily observed.
Humidity is increasing so facial eczema spores will be also rising rapidly.
Agricultural contractors have been doing green feed maize for clients in need of supplementary feed for stock, PKE, baylage, hay and compound feed trucks are also easily observed on our roads doing on farm delivery.
The New Zealand political scene, both central and local government should be of important interest to primary agricultural producers.
The general election process appears in top gear, Kim Dotcom must be the happiest precipitant of brand promotion at no cost!
Senior politicians of their respective parties have been identified to have been to see Mr Dotcom, not to solicit I suggest for funding in return for support in legal issues.
But in my opinion plead with him not to register a political party under MMP.
It is general knowledge that he could have a significant potential membership and substantially fund a constituency seat MP challenge for a wannabe or a disenfranchised present Member of Parliament, resulting in possibly four list and one constituency seat.
Why I write this is rural folk are pawns in the general election process, with only about 10 per cent of the national vote pool, so in reality urban voters will decide who governs New Zealand.
Our significance to the wellbeing of New Zealand demands respect from all who are elected to administer the affairs of our country.
Federated Farmers is A political, so we take interest in the importance of good leadership in our political scene.
The local government scene will see MatamataPiako District Council and Waikato Regional Council draft plans out shortly for consultation.
The heads up indicate both have issues that farmers need to be very circumspect of in respect of their farming business.
Regional councillors, Stu Husband and Hugh Vercoe have asked me to arrange a meeting of farmers in our district as they believe you need to know some of the ramifications, if the present draft plan becomes operative.
Federated Farmers New Zealand’s National Board President Bruce Wills retires in July after, in my opinion, three good leadership years of lobbying for farmers at the highest level.
The federation is blessed with high calibre present members of the national board to step up.
Leading contestants will be Dr William Rolleston and Anders Crofoot but current national chairwoman of Meat and Fibre Janette Maxwell has, by virtue of observed competence earned the right to be nudged to consider contesting the position of national vice president.
Also current chief executive Conor English resigns at national conference in July.
Only one advertisement for that position so far, already several very competent expressions of interest I understand.
It has not gone unnoticed that the Commerce Commission have taken to task several trading banks, in relation to the Fair Trading Act over their promotion of the lending instrument known as SWAPS.
The Commission in media news are aware also of banking officers promoting and selling this loan instrument.
If it goes to the High Court, then those officers names will obviously be public knowledge.
Several farming families have gone to the wall, because they were not made aware of the not so good obligations that can arise from what they signed into.
What was that song lyric: ‘‘Listen to the sound of the falling rain!’’.