Rod Pearce won't stand for Horizons again

Rod Pearce has enjoyed representing Whanganui on Horizons Regional Council but decided he was too old to give it his best for another three years.

He said the work was challenging at first, because Horizons is such a big organisation with a lot of detail. Once he learned more he started to enjoy the work.

"It's a very good structure, very well run. I'm very happy with the direction it's going," he said.

When he decided to leave he wanted to replace himself with someone who would fit into the structure, and he is endorsing Jeremy Austin as a candidate.

"I have known Jeremy and worked with him for a very long time. He's very capable, he's young enough and he's got the time to do it properly."

If there was one thing Mr Pearce would like to change, it would be to make sure Horizons Region farmers who implemented costly environmental standards got premium prices for the food they produced.

He said consumers were looking for products that met social and environmental bottom lines. An organisation outside of Horizons but linked to it would be needed, he said, to market produce and achieve that.