‘Meltdown’ denied

This is despite the quitting of three senior managers in the past six months, including two a few weeks ago and further resignations in the past week in the Feds communications team.

Smith told Rural News he's heard all sorts of rumours about what's going on at the organisation and says when things like this happen "people will jump to their own conclusions".

"The reality is that we, as an organisation, are focused on improving our capability. In a competitive environment we have to deliver a good set of capabilities, products and services to our members and we are focused on that."

Smith says if they get it wrong occasionally it is his responsibility.

What will happen now is unclear, including the likelihood of more staff leaving.

Smith says Feds will create a position of general manager policy and advocacy, but he is non-committal about appointing a general manager of strategic communications, a position of ten year standing.

"The comm's team is important to Federated Farmers. It's one of the key ways we... get out our stories and all the great things that go on. Whatever we do, we will have senior comm's people working in our comm's department; whether we call someone GM of comm's, that's to be decided."

Also unclear is where future senior managers will be located. The acting policy manager and the chief financial officer now work in Hamilton. Smith also lives there and commutes to Wellington.

Rural News is aware of concern among some members about the growth and a perceived shifting of the 'power base' away from Wellington to Hamilton.

Also on Feds directors minds will be membership. The depressed prices will make a subscription to Feds a discretionary spend for some farmers, and the cost of appointing new staff and sorting out a new structure will weigh on their minds.

But despite these problems Smith is upbeat.

"You need only look at all the great things people are doing in Feds," he says. "For example, in the last 12 months we have established a national water team and another team to deal with health and safety. They have all done excellent work and the term 'meltdown' is not one I'd use."