Friday, March 29, 2024

New boss hears farmers

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Farmers delivered a stern message to new director-general of primary industries Ray Smith at a meeting in Ashburton on Wednesday – they want to be top of his list.
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He attended the meeting, facilitated by Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers in response to desperate calls for help from local farmers affected by the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovi, off his own bat.

Farming leaders from across the country including national dairy chairman Chris Lewis and meat and wool chairman Miles Anderson also attended the closed session.

“This meeting was organised so these national leaders could hear from affected farmers and get their stories straight from the horse’s mouth,” Mid Canterbury dairy chairman Chris Ford said.

Representatives from Beef + Lamb New Zealand, DairyNZ, Fonterra, local MPs and Primary Industries Ministry officials also showed up.

Lewis said hearing the struggles of affected farmers first-hand was tough.

“It was an emotional meeting – most powerful listening, these stories today were real tearjerkers.

“Feds will be working with the new director-general to do better for these farmers.

Ashburton Mb infected property farmer Shane Moore said it was encouraging to feel the support coming from the meeting.

“I’d like to say it was a positive meeting. It was in the sense of having the support of all the people in the room but we need to see change.

Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon said farmer welfare is meant to be the heart of the Mb response process.

“The inference I have been hearing from the farmers I have been helping over the past 11 months and that I heard from farmers here today clearly is evidence this hasn’t been the case.

“MPI needs to pull up their socks and improve the process for everyone.

“The director-general certainly made the right noises but again a lot of these farmers have heard it all before. 

“Everyone in this room wants to see more action from MPI. These farmers need to be number one priority,” Falloon said.

Just 20 days into his role Smith said “Claims from these farmers are coming across my desk and as I try to speed up that process I thought let’s get our relationship going so I inquired about attending the meeting and here I am.

“All the signals are we will beat this. 

Farmers urged MPI to focus on a three-strand approach – communication, consistency of information and follow-through on what is promised.

“I can’t fix it overnight. I can’t take the pain away but you can be there to ease the pathway.

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