The Manawatu dairy farmer, elected unopposed as Federated Farmers Dairy’s new chairman at its conference in Palmerston North, said that sucked.
“I much preferred it when you kicked the ball way down the field and had a lineout near the opposition’s try line – it was much more fun.”
He operates a 560-cow, 220ha property near Feilding, and environmental and labour issues will be top of the list for his attention.
On the environmental front, the soon-to-be-released National Objectives Framework for Freshwater, and the process associated with the allocation of nitrogen limits within regions and catchments, will be in his sights.
“I think limits will be part of farming going ahead,” he said.
“Trying to figure out how to achieve practical solutions, making sure they are workable.”
He believes farmers should be operating at best practice standards – like those being identified in Canterbury as part of their Matrix of Good Management – and environmental outcomes should be monitors at that level before legislating limits and reductions.
Outgoing chairman Willy Leferink questioned the use of nutrient budgeting package Overseer as a legislative tool, asking “Who is overseeing Overseer?”
He also took aim at Fonterra’s growing overseas milk sourcing footprint.
“New Zealand’s future lies in taking our knowhow, our experience and our systems into the big wide world. Fonterra is to be congratulated for being in the picture.”
“Yet I somehow feel uncomfortable that these operations have the same Fonterra masterbrand on them as our farmers do. Simply put, I am fearful that my reputation or that of Kiwi farmers, maybe held hostage to what a farm worker overseas may or may not be doing.”
