Tuesday, 16 July 2019 13:55

Policy uncertainty concerns farmers

Written by  Peter Burke
Fed Farmers president Katie Milne. Fed Farmers president Katie Milne.

Government policy settings are presently farmers’ biggest worry, says Federated Farmers president Katie Milne.

She told Rural News at the Feds recent conference in Wellington that farmers are concerned at the possible effects on their farms of the Zero Carbon Bill and water policies. 

They are worried about not knowing what they have to do and about how policies will impact on them, Milne said.

“We also don’t think the regulatory impacts and cost benefit analyses have been properly done on a lot of these things, in particular the flow on effects they will have.”

Milne sees the farming sector as flat at present despite commodity prices being pretty good. A key objective of the Feds conference was to try to help the public and decisionmakers to better understand farming.

Feds joined forces this year with a commercial conference organiser which staged the event at Te Papa Museum, Wellington. 

Their aim was to do something different and bring primary industries into Wellington to give attendees closer connections and enable collaboration and connections between politicians, academics, officials and agribusiness people. 

“It’s gone really well. Very good feedback from everybody shows this format has worked,” Milne said.

More like this

A significant fertiliser breakthrough?

Former ACT MP and Federated Farmers president Owen Jennings believes he's come across a new fertilising method in Australia that yields "outstanding results".

Marlborough drought declaration welcomed

Marlborough Federated Farmers has got some real concern about the mental wellbeing of farmers and their families in the region because of the drought and there’s a lot of pressure starting to build.

Featured

Machinery builder in liquidation

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.

Two hemispheres tied together through cows

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.

An 'amaizing' season

It's been a bumper season for maize and other supplements in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Leaders connect to plan continued tree planting

Leading farmers from around New Zealand connected to share environmental stories and inspiration and build relationships at the Dairy Environment Leaders (DEL) national forum in Wellington last month.

National

Ploughing Champs success

Sean Leslie and Casey Tilson from Middlemarch, with horses Beau and Dough, took out the Rural News Horse Plough award…

Farmers oppose work visa changes

Farmers are crying foul over changes announced by the Government this week to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme.

Machinery & Products

PM opens new Power Farming facility

Morrinsville based Power Farming Group has launched a flagship New Zealand facility in partnership with global construction manufacturer JCB Construction.

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Crazy

OPINION: Your canine crusader was truly impressed by the almost unanimous support given by politicians of all stripes in Parliament…

More!

OPINION: As this old mutt suggested in the last issue, MPI looks a very good candidate for some serious public…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter