Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader

19 February 2014

Going Going Gone…The Kiwi Family Farm

Young New Zealand farmers are a threatened breed as the foreign takeover of New Zealand land marches on, says New Zealand First.

“To allow one foreign company to buy 29 farms is a sin,” says Rt Hon Winston Peters, in reference to the sale of 13 Synlait Farms in Canterbury to a majority-owned Chinese company which was also allowed to buy the 16 Crafar farms.

“This is not foreign investment, it is the transfer of Kiwi wealth in wholesale quantities.

“Many of our family farms are disappearing. Young would-be farm owners are being priced out of ownership as foreigners are allowed to buy-up blocks of farms in one go.

“This Government clearly favours foreign ownership over ordinary New Zealanders and their dreams of doing well on the land.

“It is not a fair go for New Zealanders. There is no reason why these farms could not have been sold individually giving Kiwis a more competitive chance at ownership.

“It is false economics to suggest these sales can be of substantial benefit to New Zealand when profits will be channelled overseas.

“There’s an important point here too about guardianship of the land.

“No foreign owner understands our land as a Kiwi farmer does, and has done for decades. They have worked hard to improve their land and their farming know-how and the farms have passed through generations.

“The end of the treasured Kiwi farm, as the backbone of the economy, is nigh unless we say no to more farm sales to non-resident foreigners,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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