Two days into voting on the 3.6c/kg milksolids levy – unchanged on the last vote six years ago – only 6% of the 14,000 eligible voters had responded, despite the ease of an online voting option.
Voting closes on May 31.
DairyNZ, which collects the levy to fund and support research and development, science, training, advocacy, promotion and biosecurity for the $14 billion dairy industry on behalf of farmers, is pressing sharemilkers to have their say in determining the sector’s future.
DairyNZ communications manager Bernie Walsh said sharemilkers are 28 % of levypayers but are less likely to vote.
Many did not realise, despite getting a voter pack, that as a supplier of milk to any dairy processor, they could vote, she said.
DairyNZ board member Ben Allomes, a Manawatu herd-owing sharemilker, said the campaign to get sharemilkers voting has for the first time taken to social media, Twitter and Facebook.
“There’s a new generation of farmers coming through and we want to reach them in different ways as well as using traditional methods like calling them up on the phone.
“Our future depends on having a levy that can fund the research and development we will need to keep dairy farming competitive.”
Allomes said about 4000 sharemilkers currently pay the levy and can have a strong impact collectively.
Dairy farmers can vote by internet, post, fax and or the DairyNZ Farmers Forum at Mystery Creek, Hamilton, on Wednesday.
