Farm Safety Improves Through 'Incremental Gain', Says Birkett
Improving health and safety is about incremental gain rather than a sudden decision, says Leeston farmer and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesman David Birkett.
He and Trade Minister Todd McClay and officials from MPI and MFAT plus people from DCANZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, the Meat Industry Association and Feds will steer the 'flexible' group advising and supporting formal government action.
Guy singled out biosecurity, calling on all New Zealanders to help protect the country from problem diseases and pests. He urged all primary producers to farm responsibly and he praised farmers for supporting the new bobby calf regulations.
"I acknowledge dairy farmers in particular have come a long way, investing $1 billion in the last five years to upgrade effluent handling on farms. And 96% of waterways on dairy farms are now fenced [but] you don't get acknowledged enough for what you have done.
"Now we want to work constructively with the beef sector on more fencing regulations. Consumers are more connected to what's happening inside the farmgate and our international markets are demanding more from us."
Guy called for an end to the "blame game" over water quality, a subject also touched on by Feds' president William Rolleston, who says farmers and townsfolk need to talk positively and work together to find solutions.
He accused news media of not focusing on good news. "I feel frustrated that the good news is so hard to get out and that bad news travels so easily. Some fantastic things are happening, but you don't see them splashed around the papers.
"The general public has always seen agriculture as being in a good space, but listen to the noise out there in media land and you probably get a different impression."
Rolleston says overall the mood of farmers is better than expected given the dairy payout, as evident at Fieldays. And he is pleased to see more younger people becoming active in Feds.
