Farmers know when times get tough

The National Party says the Government can't pull the wool over farmers' eyes when it comes to business confidence.

"The rural sector knows when times are getting tough. I'm not surprised today's National Bank survey shows more farmers expect business conditions to deteriorate, compared with last month," says National's Agriculture spokesman David Carter.

"And who can blame them as they battle with a growing pile of anti-business legislation and taxes.

"This Government has introduced a staggering 18 new taxes since it came in and it's proposing a further seven. It's hit the sector hard with crippling legislation - ACC, Local Government changes, OSH and the Resource Management Act.

"Added to this is the stupid flatulence tax which is just a bid by Labour to lay the bill for ratifying Kyoto on the doorstep of agriculture.

"Labour grabbed the carbon credits from farm forestry and left farmers with the liabilities. Win-win for the Government, lose-lose for the rural sector.

"Farmers have had enough. That's why they're holding meetings all around the country protesting against this tax - meetings Jim Sutton and Pete Hodgson have blatantly ignored.

"Farmers have watched their profit expectations dwindle with the rising dollar and - as today's survey shows - their investment and employment plans have stalled.

"National warned the Government to be ready for its first real test in heartland New Zealand. This survey proves it's failed," says David Carter.

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