increase font size
Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre chairman Rick Powdrell.
Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre chairman Rick Powdrell spoke at the Feds' annual conference last week. Here are excerpts from his speech.
One thing in life never changes: the moment you overcome one challenge, another is sure to arise.
Once in a while a challenge crops up that might be easier to abandon, but that's not my way. You guessed it, that's a reference to the New Zealand red meat industry.
At our February meeting we discussed our role, emphasising continued dialogue with key players, notably Beef + Lamb NZ, the Meat Industry Association, Meat Industry Excellence and other parties keen to engage.
Plenty of people have been willing to talk, some notable for their commercial self-interest and others on specific elements in the industry. All have relevant ideas and passion and desire to see the industry move forward. But until key players come together with a common goal the required quantum shift will not occur.
Since our February meeting we have talked with BLNZ, some of us getting involved in groups developing and testing BLNZ's market development plan.
Hopefully the coming together of all the parties -- farmers, processors, marketers, government and others -- will result in an agreed way forward. If so, similar approaches might help us address other industry issues.
In February, speaking about the UK lamb market, I referred to a need to try to bring together all industry participants for the betterment of all.
What the Brexit vote means to NZ is unknown, except there will be significant unrest in all aspects of the UK economy. How NZ industry leaders and government respond will be vitally important.
Now is not the time to sit back and watch what develops. Rather we should act to mould the future with our UK counterparts for the betterment of all.
The UK marketing strategy will likely be turned upside down. Our lamb exports to the UK face the biggest risk. We have a product that presently is not rewarding farmers for their effort; preservation is the minimal acceptable outcome.
As BLNZ has emphasised, the EU and UK are our most valuable sheepmeat markets. Maintaining our quota of 228,000 tonnes at zero duties to these markets will be important. How that can be achieved, what the end result will look like and over what time-frame is unknown.
The duration of the unrest as the UK settles into its new freedom may require some patience. But we must be patient at the table in the UK, not watching from the sidelines here in NZ.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Federated Farmers has called on Central Otago District Council (CODC) to drop or vote down a plan to truck sludge from Alexandra and Cromwell to farmland near Lauder, warning it would compound an "outrageous" situation created by a separate council's decision weeks earlier.
Federated Farmers says new legislation replacing the Resource Management Act will cut red tape, unlock investment and help grow New Zealand's export-led economy, after the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill passed their third reading in Parliament yesterday.
Leading figures from the major political parties will be questioned on their primary sector policies at the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, on 30 September.
Will the good times last? That's one of the key issues to come out of the latest Federated Farmers confidence survey.
Waikato milk processor Tatua has again declared a record milk payout to farmer shareholders, leaving other processors in the dust.
A Labour-led Government won’t be bringing back the controversial freshwater rules of 2020.
National’s much-touted free trade deal with India featured in the Rural Issues Debate at Mystery Creek, Hamilton on Wednesday night.
New Zealand's 2026-27 freshwater fishing season has opened, with anglers encouraged to head to rivers and lakes over the coming days as conditions look favourable across much of the country.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Pāmu has released its FY26 Integrated Annual Report, reporting a Net Operating Profit of $113 million, more than double the $49 million recorded in FY25.
OPINION: The same mainstream media muppets that brought you Jacindamania in 2017 have been flat out pimping for the Opportunities…
OPINION: Your old mate reckons the atrocious way farmers in the UK are treated by their lords and masters in…
