New leadership for MIE

McCarthy welcomes the election of the new chair, Peter McDonald and Tim Coop as deputy, saying a chair from Southland is appropriate as that is where the MIE movement had its origins.

“It’s time to pass the baton, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved, but any organisation, particularly a voluntary one, regularly needs new energy and leadership. This is particularly important as we move into the election cycle around the two cooperatives.”

McCarthy says MIE was fortunate to have a number of younger emerging leaders in its ranks.

“I believe that Pete and Tim will recharge the sagging energy that seems to have gone out of farmers around the need for reform. It is a marathon and I think fair to say that the constant efforts of those with vested interests have dented the momentum.”

McCarthy continues to urge closer farmer scrutiny around the RMPP, which he says seems like a continuation of the status quo, with a particular emphasis on the “cozy agricultural club”, including the likes of Landcorp.

“What’s happened to the Landcorp we used to know? The ballot farms created for young farmers with little equity, whose only real asset was an incredible passion for the industry? Ironically through their size and market dominance they now exist as a direct competitor to the family farm model,” he says.

“Trickledown via the RMPP seems unlikely and it is an indictment on the stewardship of this $67million of funds that they were not prepared to assist MIE in testing the NEWCO proposal with farmers.”

McCarthy says the executive has requested that along with senior advisor, Ross Hyland they be allocated the responsibility of continuing to develop and socialise the NEWCO proposition. To that end, he will remain as part of the executive.

“I’ll remain very committed to what is important change for farmers and for New Zealand as a whole,” he says.

McCarthy says MIE’s team has devoted a lot of personal time, energy and resources to carrying out the mandate that farmers placed in the group almost three years ago.

“MIE has stayed true to that mandate from farmers to facilitate reform of the industry.”

McCarthy is proud of the part MIE has played in increasing farmer shareholder participation in the governance of farmer-owned meat cooperatives; something that he says is key to a more sustainable industry structure.

According to McCarthy, the publishing of MIE’s report “Red Meat Industry Pathways to Long-term Sustainability” in March this year has also been a watershed development, and the group’s subsequent work and analysis on a NEWCO concept has helped identify issues and opportunities for the industry.

“Farmers have always asked that we show them a roadmap, the NEWCO business case is the way forward and offers a very real opportunity to turn this industry and NZ agriculture on its head. It has the potential to be the shot in the arm, the game changer that agriculture and New Zealand desperately needs, it is just so important that after all this work that we don’t drop the ball on this one.”

While he supports the retention of B&L as a farmer funded body, McCarthy believes that serious questions need to be asked around the Industry Board model.

“It is important to have checks and balances in any system and once again, in my view, our farmer bodies need to be more proactive in this space and be vigilant that they do not become a rubber stamp for the vested interests of the status quo.”

McCarthy says he is grateful for the support of the MIE team, and a great many farmers who had made his time as chair of MIE a rewarding one.

“You cop some flak, but it has been an overwhelmingly positive experience thanks to the support of a great many hard working farmers who have offered kind words, telling insights and encouragement not to be deterred from this important campaign for change.”