Dairy Farmers Let Down by Government in Fontera Result
Northland Dairy Farmers Let Down by Government in Fontera Result
New Zealand First says Fonterra’s latest downwards revision in the 2014/15 forecast to a total cash payout of $4.90 - $5.00 per kilogram of milksolids (kg/MS) for a fully-shared up farmer, can be blamed on an urban focused government that is not putting farmers first.
“This will hurt Northland’s 801 farm owner/operators and 291 sharemilkers given nine percent of New Zealand’s herds are in the region,” says Leader and candidate for the Northland by-election Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“Something like 3.5 percent of Northland jobs directly relate to dairying and it’s a big part of the region’s GDP. Yet the Korea FTA Mr Key just signed holds very little for our dairy farmers who feel neglected and frankly, sold down the RIVER.
“They’re asking me why this government is so obsessed with Iraq instead of using our Security Council seat to resolve the Russia/Ukraine crisis. That is a very good question.
“Dairy farmers know flat global prices reflect the three billion litres of European milk that’s flooded onto the market place due to Russia/Ukraine. It is made worse by our dollar being at record highs against the Euro so we’re exporting with our arms tied behind our backs.
“Meanwhile, the foreign owned banks are all over farmers like a rash and when they look at their interest bill, they know it is high because of this government’s urban focus.
“Like other Northland farmers, they have had a gut’s full of being neglected by a government that’s taken their votes for granted and only discovered them when it feels under threat,” Mr Peters said.
ENDS