We advocate for farmers
The mapping of Significant Natural Areas, and the implications of these, is causing a lot of concern for local farmers.
What is most concerning is that up to 60-80 per cent of land on our farms could be defined as Significant Natural Areas (SNAs), and the Government’s lack of clarity around its biodiversity plans means we have no idea about how this will impact farming activities.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand is calling for the Government to ask all regional and district councils to stop mapping until biodiversity policies are made clearer.
I know that B+LNZ’s chairman Andrew Morrison met with Minister James Shaw last week to discuss farmers’ concerns, and is asking the Government to commit to narrowing the definition of SNAs and to clarify the rules to ensure that agricultural production and the protection of biodiversity can co-exist.
We are also asking the Government to pause the introduction of new rules on biodiversity until at least the end of the year. This all highlights the importance of having an industrygood organisation, such as B+LNZ, advocating for farmers. But what is also important is that B+LNZ works with other industry organisations to ensure our sector’s voice is united and a loud one. While it may not feel like it, progress is being made to get sensible rules on the environment.
These include keeping farming out of the Emissions Trading Scheme, a delay in the implementation of winter grazing regulations, a split gas approach to the Zero Carbon Bill, and changes to a number of regional plans, including in Hawke’s Bay and the Waikato. But there is so much more to do.
Voting is under way in B+LNZ’s sixyearly referendum, and as chairman of the Northern North Island region’s Farmer Council, I am encouraging all sheep, beef and dairy farmers to vote. In the six years since we last voted there has been a paradigm shift in the way we farmers operate.
Reflecting this change is B+LNZ’s renewed strategy in which two of the organisation’s three priorities are outside of the farm gate, namely championing the sector and increasing market returns.
Supporting farming excellence is still one of its highest priorities, but the strategy effectively links the consumer to the farmer, with the organisation also doing the important advocacy and market development work. Put simply, it means we can just get on and do what we do best, producing the world’s best grass-fed red meat for consumers. They have our backs.
Amongst the work B+LNZ is doing at farm gate level is investing in research and development, including the development of a new test for facial eczema. While still in the early development phase, initial results look very promising. Without B+LNZ, this farmer-initiated work would not be happening.
We cannot afford to lose our organisation or our voice.