Farmers shun responsibility

The farmers’ protest should be viewed within the context of a mechanised and chemical industrial agriculture that has in the past 70 years become increasingly intensified. Farming is now part of the industrial revolution which has been extended into the countryside and the reality is that the family farm has disappeared and the owner is more the manager of an agricultural enterprise that employs workers than being the traditional solo farmer.

This increased intensification on the land has led to environmental degradation and now the industrial agriculture sector is being required to be fiscally responsible for it but reject this requirement to be responsible citizens, so now revolt.

Edward Noel Eyre, Ranui.