Small cheese but big fees for elite vendor
Biddy Fraser-Davies loves making cheese and has fought bureaucracy for almost a decade to make it easier for all small producers.
During that time she has been recognised at British Guild of Fine Foods World Cheese Awards as one of the world’s elite cheese makers.
On May 14, she and husband Colin will host the inaugural Great Eketahuna Cheese Festival – a celebration and continuation of their campaign to convince the Government that fees for smaller producers are too high.
The event will bring together cheese makers from around New Zealand and Australia to show their wares, talk about the industry and share secrets and tips.
Fraser-Davies began her love affair with cheese after moving from Wellington to a farm at Mt Brucein 2002, at age 60.
She happily made cheese under her own Cwmglyn brand and sold it from her small farm for several years before appearing on Country Calendar in 2009.
After the show aired, she received an email from the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), saying that they would be sending inspectors to check up on her operation.
‘‘My costs suddenly went from $100 a year paid to Tararua District Council to $5500 a year to MPI. It was a bit of a shock and nothing had actually changed except now the ministry was involved.’’
Fraser-Davies decided to fight back to make things better for small food producers.
She has been to Parliament twice and in constant contact with the Government and MPI over the past nine years. She has also seen small cheese-making operations run out of business because of increased costs and regulation.
‘‘I have seen several smaller cheese-producing operations unable to cope with the fees forced to close.
‘‘I have had ministry officials tell me, in their most serious voice, that my cheese-making operation could ‘bring down the New Zealand cheese industry’, and I laughed at them.’’