Three years at the helm of Federated Farmers has had it highs and it lows but overall it’s been immensely satisfying, former president Katie Milne says.
But from day one the West Coast dairy farmer was uncomfortable with the media focus on her being the first female president in the organisation’s history.
“I went with it because it was an angle that won us air time and newspaper column centimetres but I have always believed that in Federated Farmers’ leadership the right question is – what can you offer the organisation, not what’s your gender?
“Nevertheless, I like to think I’ve brought my own stamp and personality to the role and on wider reflection lately I have realised that being a woman in the role has helped other women think about stepping into leadership roles as it has proved that no matter where in New Zealand you live isn’t a barrier and nor is gender.”
Having women among the leadership team at national and provincial level is a good reminder to the rest of NZ agriculture has long been underpinned by couples working together, each bringing their own perspectives and strengths and neither being more important than the other.
“It’s useful to remind the rest of the country by having men and women, all working farmers, speaking for the organisation that those old newsreels of men out on the land on machinery and women confined to baking scones for the shearers is pre-war history and even then it was a stereotype rather than the truth.”
One of the goals Milne set for herself was to grab whatever opportunities she could to help bridge the perceived lack of understanding between urban and rural people.
“I wanted to highlight for all Kiwis the challenges and triumphs of our farmers and growers and that mission has taken me on so many trips up and down the length of NZ and to overseas forums, too, that the Subaru pretty much knows its own way from the West Coast to Christchurch airport.”
Milne is confident good progress has been made in bringing town and country to a better understanding of each other.
“We’ve used that phrase, we’re all in this together, so well and so often as we’ve debated everything from global warming and water quality to biodiversity and job security that people have recognised the truth of it.
“Hopefully the message that we are producing some of the world’s best and safest food to the best of our ability while looking after the environment given the current tools, knowledge and resources we have available is finally getting through.”
Farmers will do even better when they get properly digitally connected, she says.
“Innovation and uptake of efficient tech is hampered and we are holding back our farmers by an unknown quantum in a time when we need productivity to be sprinting ahead versus still arriving by pedal car to the stadium for the race.
“We need to unleash out rural talent and encourage more into the jobs agriculture has to offer.
“Being cutting edge without good connectivity is hard and not conducive to enticing great new talent into opportunities in what is perceived as the wop-wops.”
There are new technologies that need to be explored.
“We still have not had the debate around GM technology in such a way that people understand what it is and what it isn’t.
“Discussing the opportunities around gene editing versus transgenics with explanations of what they actually mean would be a good start.
“If we can get grasses out the door of the lab and into the ground that grow well with less fertiliser inputs then we won’t be faced with regulation that will potentially destroy the ability to farm efficiently and productively.”
At the start of her term Milne said the change from a government of nine years to a new one posed the first big challenge then part way through her term it looked like Mycoplasma bovis was going to be the issue that would provide the biggest headache and heartache for farmers.
“We’re still on that bold and world-leading eradication effort but who knew that this year we’d all face an even more destructive disease.
“While farmers, like all New Zealanders, now have the unnerving prospect of waiting out how much destruction the pandemic will ultimately wreak on global financial and trade systems, never mind paying back the billions of dollars we’ve had to borrow, covid-19 perversely delivered a silver lining for agriculture in helping raise the awareness as to just how valuable our farming families are to the NZ economy.
“For farmers feeling misunderstood and under-appreciated it’s been a real confidence booster and going forward those improved relationships we forged with the Primary Industries Ministry and other agencies as we worked on pandemic solutions can be built upon.”
Milne has long known the worth of Feds but being president has really brought home the power of the organisation’s brand.
“More than ever we’re sought out by ministries, ministers and media as the organisation that can speak for all farmers.
“We’re listened to by policy makers, by councils and by government and when they don’t hear us we let them know loud and clear where they’ve gone wrong and what we think they should do differently in as constructive a way as possible.”
As she adjusts back to farm life Milne acknowledged her family, who have grown accustomed to her not being around.
“Thanks for putting up with that and doing all the jobs I wasn’t there to do. Now you will have to get used to me being home full time again”
Though maybe not for too long.
“I’m getting longer in the tooth for farming. I have had the odd phone call coming in and once you have got these experiences and people still see value in what you can do, you should take these opportunities.
“If I’m still able to help the industry thrive going forward then I will.”
But partner Ian had his own take. “I might just put her back to work on the farm and I’ll go play for three years.”
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in the new
THE new Federated Farmers board mixes experience with new blood and outgoing president Katie Milne is confident the new team will thrive.
“I will be absolutely still showing an interest and watching the new board thrive and it will. There’s a good dose of talent there,” Milne said.
Manawatu dairy farmer Andrew Hoggard takes up the president’s seat with Wairarapa cropping farmer Karen Williams finishing her term as arable sector chairwoman and moving up to vice-president.
New blood on the board includes Wairarapa provincial president and sheep and beef farmer William Beetham coming in as the new meat and wool group chairman following the retirement of Miles Anderson while South Canterbury cropping farmer Colin Hurst is the new arable chairman.
Golden Bay Provincial president and Yolo farmer Wayne Langford is the new dairy chairman taking over from Chris Lewis. Lewis and Chris Allen fill the two at-large board seats.
