Saturday, March 30, 2024

Conspiracy kills MIE battle for meat reform

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Meat Industry Excellence has called an end to its battle for reform of the red meat industry.
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In a statement associated with its annual report, chairman Dave McGaveston said MIE was going into recess.

McGaveston claimed patch protection, farmer apathy and a rural media campaign against MIE had led to the executive decision.

Disciplined marketing, into high-value markets, championing NZ uniqueness with a basket of foods was still where the red meat prosperity lay.

But the $450 million to be gained, year-on-year, identified in the Pathways to Long Term Sustainability report was now certainly an opportunity lost.

“With Shanghai Maling in control of SFF from January 2017 I cannot see farmers ever getting much if any of these returns into the foreseeable future,” McGaveston said.

The past year for MIE had been more of the battle against vested interests, patch protection and conspiracy.

During this time of extreme crisis for the meat industry the total lack of leadership or constructive direction from Beef + Lamb NZ and Federated Farmers had been telling, he said.

MIE had stood alone with the positive and obtainable opportunities identified in the Pathways Report.

It had been an independent body striving to achieve the changes for sheep farming to have a financially viable future.

“Make no mistake, passing control of our processing and exporting sector to foreign interests will in the long term be an unmitigated disaster for NZ red meat farmers,” McGaveston said.

“It has been disheartening that the co-op directors, B+LNZ, Federated Farmers, Government and the organisations farmers trust to show leadership and direction have fought to stifle all MIE’s efforts to create a bright future for NZ red meat farmers.”

The Pathways Report exposed serious inefficiencies and identified exciting opportunities from procurement and processing, as well as along the entire value chain to market.

Farmers invested in the report and should have expected to have their investment enhanced by embracing the opportunities identified, McGaveston said.

“Sadly the anti-reform campaign prevailed, not just within farmers own elected organisation, B+LNZ, but across the underbelly of vested interest groups that dominate the sector,” he said.

“Largely and rather sadly our predictions have rung true.

“The imminent procurement war is proof again of this and farmers will again pay for this over the long term.”

Removing the competitive, destructive model in-market would provide long-term benefits for everyone.

“Unfortunately, this scenario may well be at the expense of the remaining NZ-owned companies as these foreign-owned and-or controlled entities begin to flex their muscle in coming seasons.

“As always, we will hope for the best, whilst silently planning for the worst,” McGaveston said.

As the sun set on MIE he thanked the many who had supported its campaign.

“And I can assure you all, if farmer attitudes should change, we have the knowledge, strategy and desire to lift our industry out of the current downward spiral.”

MIE was a grassroots farmer organisation committed to reforming the sheep and beef industry.

“Passing control of our processing and exporting sector to foreign interests will in the long term be an unmitigated disaster for NZ red meat farmers.”

Dave McGaveston

MIE

There was growing consensus about what needed to happen to turn the industry around but nothing was happening.

“Unless farmers take the lead, nothing will change. We’re the ones with most at stake and no one’s going to do it for us.

“Nothing has changed in that respect,” McGaveston said.

“There is a prosperous future available but I don’t believe the lowest cost mentality of the Chinese holds the key,” he said.

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