Feds claiming 'some real success' on policy front
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Climate change policy and the emissions trading scheme (ETS) are farmers’ biggest concerns.
These show as top for the first time since 2010, according to Federated Farmers’ latest Farm Confidence Survey.
Nearly a quarter of the 1432 farmers who responded to the July survey said it is their No 1 worry. The second-greatest concern is regulation and compliance costs (19%) followed by debt, interest and banks (10%).
The result is hardly surprising, Federated Farmers economics spokesman Andrew Hoggard says.
Analysis shows many dairy and sheep and beef farms will be uneconomic if the Government pursues methane reduction targets far more stringent than necessary to try to restrict global warming.
“That’s coupled with concern that the targets, and Government incentives for forestry, are driving blanket planting of pines on productive farmland, pointing to huge long term detriment to rural communities.”
Related to concerns about more production losses and costs to meet climate change targets, is that only 55% of farmers say their businesses are profitable (similar to the January survey, 56%). Farms losing money increased by two points to 11.3%.
And slightly more farmers expect their profitability to worsen than improve.
The July survey, by Research First, found that the proportion of farmers who think the economy is generally good (24.9%) has decreased slightly over the last six months. Those seeing the economy as bad are fewer but not by much (21.3%).
The survey discovered that farmers’ confidence in the economy is the lowest it’s been since July 2009, after the Global Financial Crisis.
“On that front, we’re no different from the wider business community in expressing gloom,” Hoggard says.
“We have particular concern about global uncertainty and instability [possible] from fallout from Brexit and US-China tensions and how that will impact on our key markets and export returns.”
Farmers in all regions expect production to increase over the coming 12 months but they are mostly less optimistic than six months ago, with large falls in expectations in Auckland-Northland and Taranaki-Manawatu.
Slightly more farmers expect to increase their spending rather than reduce it over the coming 12 months but this is also down on January’s survey.
And farmers continue to find it hard, if not harder than ever, to find skilled and motivated staff.
To read the full report visit http://www.fedfarm.org.nz/FFPublic/Policy2/National/2019/2019_New_Season_Farm_Confidence_Survey.aspx
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.