In his six years on the national executive, the past three as section chairman, Anderson said the biggest single frustration has been wool.
“We have got a product we have selectively bred for generations and generations, it ticks all the environmental boxes and many of us are dumping crutchings, bellies and pieces on-farm because it costs more to get them to the woolstore than you get for it – it’s ridiculous.
“If there was ever a time for the wool industry to get its act together and work collaboratively to improve the fortunes of everyone in the industry, now is the time.
“Without significant improvement the wool industry will drag the entire sheep industry into oblivion as farmers are forced by economics to change what they do with the land.
“Sheep farming has been incredibly good for NZ over the past 150 years. It will be a shame for it to be buggered because one part of our industry couldn’t get its act together.
“There’s incentives for growing trees and incentives to grow more crops. If something doesn’t change dramatically in the next three to five years sheep will be gone and, once gone, they won’t come back.
“It concerns me now and it concerns me for the next generation of sheep farmers.”
Anderson doesn’t hold a lot of hope for relief in the much-anticipated release of Government’s Wool Working Group Report.
“I think it will probably be something people will argue over what is right and what is wrong and at the end of the day industry will need to take any good and work collectively from a key starting point.”
Anderson acknowledges there is a lot of good work going on outside of the report as industry stakeholders forge ahead with their own business.
“The report was only ever going to be a starting point but it’s way too long coming.
“Yes, industry has done some dumb things over the years and there’s been learnings from that.”
He cited the demise of the Wool Board.
“It was a mistake to get rid of that. While it wasn’t necessarily the tool, it had the infrastructure to do the job. It just needed reorganising. Its capabilities were outstanding.”
On a positive note Anderson said many achievements, despite some being quite left field, have produced rewarding outcomes.
They include changes to the Crimes (and Sentencing) Act in respect to stock rustling, the new Firearms Law, stock agent regulation and on top of everything issues arising from the covid-19 pandemic.
As a sector there have been many challenges as a result of government policy and regulation and as the dust settles, taking in covid-19 too.
Anderson expects a lot of farmers are re-evaluating some of their farm policies.
“Questions such as should I finish as much stock as I previously have, should I turn more of my excess feed into silage, balage or hay rather than using it to add weight to animals.
“We are waiting to see how the Government policy on indigenous biodiversity will impact on our properties and farming practices.
“I believe we are at a crossroads in New Zealand where property rights are under serious threat.”
The incentives to turn farmland into forests have had negative impacts on many rural communities.
“It is frustrating that poor science and poor policy have combined to remove productive sheep and beef properties from NZ forever.
“It is gravely concerning that the regulatory burden will be too much for many of us and drive us out of the industry when the country needs us most.
“In our wake we could be leaving increasing numbers of corporate farming operations and an unending march of pine forests.
“That won’t be good for the country or the environment,” Anderson said.
While stepping aside from executive level Anderson has no plan to walk away.
“I will still be involved in some projects. I won’t be too distanced from issues and I will be there for incoming chairman William Beetham.
“I will take a breather initially but I have already advised the new board I will be offering my advice.”
Meantime, home on his South Canterbury sheep and cropping farm there’s work to catch up on.
“There’s a bit on the farm that’s missed out in three years,” Anderson said.
