Friday, March 29, 2024

Van Leeuwens face sell-up threat

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The stress of battling Mycoplasma bovis and trying to keep a multi-million dollar farm business afloat has hit hard for South Canterbury dairy farmers Aad and Wilma van Leeuwen.
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The couple blame the Ministry for Primary Industries for the impact on their business as they now face the threat of having to sell farms because of what they see as MPI’s bungling of compensation.

The directors of the van Leeuwen Dairy Group (VLDG) that comprises 17 farms in Waimate District said their business will never look the same as it was before they became the first to notify the cattle disease M bovis in New Zealand.

That was in July 2017 and the stress of the 13-month battle to manage the disease on their high-performance, large-scale farming business and an ongoing feud with MPI over compensation have just got “ludicrously ridiculous”, Aad van Leeuwen said.

“It has turned into a totally unacceptable situation. It’s taken its toll on us, our people, livelihoods and wellbeing, not to mention the financial pressures. 

“The Biosecurity Act states that we should be no worse off and no better off. 

“This is certainly not the case at present. It’s all one big mess,” van Leeuwen said.

While having received some compensation the van Leeuwens claim they are still waiting for the vast majority, a figure close to $6 million.

“And there’s more claims to go in yet, possibly another $2m in the near future.

“It just makes no sense. They just ask for more and more information. It’s a full-time job just doing the compensation. 

“MPI just don’t understand how dairy farm business works and all fits together.”

In an attempt to clarify differences and verify their compensation claims the van Leeuwens sought third party expertise.

“It’s cost us over $100,000 with Deloittes in Dunedin to get what they call independent forensic accounting, everything signed off and we were advised to go ahead and present it to the Government.

“What use has that been? Everything we have done on our own steam in the hope we can survive this onslaught and still we get nowhere.

“It’s bureaucratic nonsense that’s driven us to the ground,” van Leeuwen said.

“It’s not like we have been asking for handouts. We just want our dues and we have been telling MPI for months how dire it’s getting. They knew it was coming to this and still they don’t pay up. 

“MPI were the ones that took our cows away mid-season after we pleaded with them not to.

“We pleaded with them to allow us to milk to the end of the season but they didn’t listen to common sense and killed them anyway, taking away our income and the opportunity to save the taxpayer in excess of $5m.” 

The van Leeuwens are astonished some of the higher management people in MPI are talking about sleepless nights.

“Perhaps something dear to them should be taken away and their income stream be stopped for eight to 10 months and then see what sort of sleepless nights they will really have.”

The van Leeuwens are disappointed and saddened they have had very little support from farmer industry groups.

“We are members of Federated Farmers and DairyNZ is our industry body yet neither has done very much to support us.

“They have all been quite happy to stand on the sideline.

“That’s with the exception of the Rural Support Trust who we thank for their moral support.” 

Of more concern to the couple are fellow farmers under MPI restrictions.

“What does this spell for the rest. I know there’s a lot more in the same situation as us,” van Leeuwen said.

Tick boxes, get paid

Farmers lodging Mycoplasma bovis compensation claims must make sure they tick all the boxes, Biosecurity New Zealand head Roger Smith says.

It is also important all claims are backed with legitimate proof.

“The general rule is if you tick the boxes you will get paid.” 

Values for stock payments are very easy if the processes are followed, the boxes ticked and the all the facts provided.

He acknowledged compensation for loss of milk production is not so straightforward but can be done relatively quickly if claims are backed with all the facts and figures.

Stock slaughtered outside of MPI legal control does not tick the box.

Outstanding claims are generally outstanding because they require more information or are inappropriate.

“If you don’t follow MPI legal direction and you can’t provide the facts then I can’t pay you,” Smith said.

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