Southland Feds demand grazing rule deferral

 ES previously said it will enact tomorrow (December 14) the rules in draft form, then consult with key stakeholders in the farming community, including a submission process, until the end of March.

At a special meeting on Friday, Feds Southland passed the following motion.

“That Federated Farmers Southland demands that Environment Southland defers the Transitional Region-wide Policy & Rule planned for adoption on 14^th December 2011 and any other rules that can affect the future of farming and the economy of Southland until a full and proper consultation and submission process is held with affected parties.”

Today the Federation’s regional vice-president, Russell McPherson, said deferring would keep farmers on side.

“The thing is that farmers like me don’t just farm in Southland, we live here and so do our kids.  We’ve got as much stake in the environment and the future as anybody else.  I know we’ve bumped heads with Environment Southland but we’re willing to put that behind us to go forward.

“All we now need is a sign from Environment Southland that they’re willing to do the same. That sign would be for the council to defer transitional region-wide policies and rules instead of adopting them on Wednesday.

“Any delay to adoption will help test the robustness of what’s being proposed.  Consulting before adoption is not only democratic but it will help avoid problems thrown up when acting under urgency, whether that’s in Parliament or a council.

“I don’t think putting these policies and rules out for public consultation before adoption is being unreasonable.  Getting everyone’s buy-in is the secret to good public policy after all.

“We’ve also got our members to a point where they’re saying, ‘if that’s what the community wants after having all the facts, we’ll play ball’.  If the policy is imposed on Wednesday instead, it really risks the attitude hardening to one of, ‘stuff the council’.

“The biggest risk Environment Southland faces, is burning off any willingness of farmers to engage.  All farmers want is for a consultation process to run its proper course. 

“We’re pleading with Environment Southland to bring the community into this discussion before it adopts the rules.  Some cooler councillor heads need to prevail [tomorrow] because at the end of the day, we all want the same thing.”

Environment Southland told Rural News councillors will consider the rule at a meeting tomorrow and make a decision then as to whether it is deferred or adopted.