Sobering result for Meat & Wool New Zealand

MEDIA RELEASE

31 August 2009

Sobering result for Meat & Wool New Zealand

While farmers voted ‘no’ to any wool or goatmeat levy, the result of the sheepmeat and beef levy vote was hardly convincing either.

“Although the sheepmeat and beef levies were supported, the ‘one person, one vote’ results of 54 percent and 52 percent respectively are not exactly encouraging,”says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre chairperson.

“Farmers have delivered a strong message to Meat & Wool New Zealand with the result of this levy vote; that being ‘you need to do better’.

“As farmers, we want Meat & Wool to keep us better informed, we want more transparency and we want targeted efficient investment that produces tangible results for farmers.

“I am particularly concerned that the wool industry now sits in a rather precarious position. We have an industry that is in crisis and now that farmers have said no to any further levies it is up to the commercial players in the market to step up.

“It also sends a very strong signal to the meat processing and exporting industry that farmers clearly expect them to shoulder much more of the financial costs associated with market development activities.

“A particularly disappointing aspect of this referendum is that only 8,000 farmers participated, a mere 39 percent of the 20,000 eligible voters. I suspect there are a few farmers who are today kicking themselves for not making the effort to have their say. Simply put, this is the true cost of apathy.

“Meat & Wool has made every effort to consult with farmers over recent months, but it seems some farmers just didn’t want to engage. Years of disappointing returns have left many with little appetite or ability to fund downstream activities and I can only describe this as a pity.

“However, farmers have spoken and I respect their decision. We now need Meat & Wool to get on with its mandate to achieve a much better outcome for farmers.

“Federated Farmers, meanwhile, will listen carefully to its meat and fibre farmers and pass their views on to Meat & Wool so it can sharpen its focus. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with Meat & Wool in achieving this goal,”Mr Wills concluded.

ENDS

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