THE Government’s freshwater regulations were the final straw for Bryce McKenzie, but it also marked a beginning.
When the West Otago farmer saw the expectation of farmers from the Government’s National Policy Statement (NPS) for Freshwater, it did not align with what he had witnessed in seven years’ involvement with his local Pomahaka Catchment Group.
“When I saw the NPS, it was so far off the wall it was ridiculous,” McKenzie said.
He expressed his anger and disbelief in a Facebook post, fearing the rules will destroy rural communities and farm businesses.
Waikaka farmer Laurie Paterson agreed and despite a reluctance to become political, the two men decided they had to act.
They also wanted a forum to highlight the policy’s abundant and obvious shortfalls to urban New Zealanders.
In early October last year, 120 tactors paraded down the main street of Gore to highlight what McKenzie and Paterson term as “dumb” freshwater rules.
Little did they know that growing numbers of farmers were becoming increasingly frustrated their representative bodies did not appear to be vocally resisting government policy.
And little did they know that freshwater legislation was just the start, with more to follow.
That includes the National Policy Statement for indigenous biodiversity, rules requiring the identification of significant natural areas on private land and changes to the Crown Pastoral Land’s Act.
“The speed with which this is being imposed on us, there is no change anyone can keep on top of these policies,” he said.
An example of their frustration was illustrated while sitting in on a Climate Change Commission webinar.
Paterson says his attention was pricked when the commission told the audience that they had looked at all options to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
He countered that aircraft emissions were ignored, as had the decree from the Paris Accord that food production should not be compromised, a consequence of their recommendations.
“They told me that they were now allowed to look at aircraft emissions due to the Paris Accord, saying it could not be looked at until 2024,” Paterson said.
He describes that as rubbish as flight paths are obvious as are aircraft emissions.
By their actions, Paterson and Mackenzie had poked a bear, and Groundswell was formed.
“After the tractor trek Bryce said he was heading back to the farm,” Paterson said.
“I said to him he couldn’t, that we had created an expectation. But we didn’t realise how big an expectation we had created.”
Social media has allowed them to connect with farmers who share those same concerns, but McKenzie spends much of his day answering emails and phone calls.
A petition followed and then in February 500 people attended a meeting in Gore where North Otago farmer and freshwater policy critic Jane Smith urged farmers to replace apathy with vocal opposition and to share information about the environmental work they have done.
That momentum continued in April, when 400 farmers attended meetings organised by Groundswell in Canterbury and the West Coast.
Groundswell branches have been formed on the West Coast, Coromandel, Manawatū, Waimakariri and South Canterbury.
McKenzie says they do not want to reinvent the wheel and even though senior Cabinet ministers such as Environment Minister David Parker have invited them to meet with him, they do not see their role as advocacy or political.
Rather, they are providing a vehicle for people to talk about the impact and their frustrations on rules and regulations emanating out of Wellington.
“We don’t necessarily want to be silenced by being part of the negotiations,” McKenzie said.
“We don’t want to be in the tent with them to be honest. We want to be outside the tent putting forward our members’ views.”
Paterson says they do not want to reinvent the wheel but see a role informing groups such as Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb NZ and DairyNZ of the frustration of grassroot farmers.
“We are not attacking B+LNZ, DNZ or Federated Farmers – they are key to farming,” he said.
“But farmers are telling Groundswell they want stronger advocacy.”
That does not preclude Groundswell making a call to arms sometime in the future.
Although, they are quite prepared to start up the tractors again, something some farmers are calling for.
“There is a feeling they want to do something,” McKenzie said.
“That’s where farmers are at. We get people on Facebook saying ‘let’s do something’.
“The tractor protest worked in Gore, we got a lot of national attention. It brought farmers together and gave them a voice and alerted people in town to what is going on.”
Paterson says there was some concern that the Gore tractor protest could alienate urban people, but the opposite occurred.
“People came up and asked us what we were doing it for. We were able to engage with them,” Paterson said.
McKenzie and Paterson say they never wanted to have a political profile.
They reject any suggestion Groundswell is a group of rednecks, but rather are farmers concerned about the impact, volume and pace of rules and regulations coming out of Parliament.
“We’re for common sense. We seek common sense solutions,” Paterson said.
McKenzie agreed.
“Long-term we need to get more people speaking with one voice and strong advocacy from the bottom up.
“We want the grassroots to be heard,” he said.
