Dannevirke: 'Keep farms for our boys'

Dannevirke's Roger Ramsden is passionate about the land. Photo / Christine McKay

Dannevirke's Roger Ramsden is adamant the Government shouldn't allow the sale of farm land to foreign buyers.

Mr Ramsden, who purchased his own farm in the 1960s, is now retired in town and wants to see our farm land retained by the next generation of New Zealanders.

"We don't want foreigners to come and take our land off us and there are plenty of young boys out there who should be given the first opportunity to purchase," he said.

"Yes, foreign buyers have more money, but they could be taking land away from those who could be earning money from that land. We just have to work out a way to ensure young men can be financed on to the land.

"I had a heck of a debt to pay when I took on farm ownership. I only had 2000 to put down a deposit and buy stock in 1960.

"It was a big step. In my day we had the Rural Bank, but these days you need $5 million in your pocket before you start looking ... .

"There's a lot of land up for sale out the coast - land farmed by great grandfathers, grandfathers and fathers - but the farms need money left in."

Mr Ramsden said the Government is right to say no to the sale of Lochinver Station, to Shanghai Pengxin, which wants a judicial review after the Overseas Investment Office recommended its bid be approved, but Government Ministers Paula Bennett and Louise Upston rejected it.

"I've been there, seen the farm and it could easily be divided into four farms which would make it a better proposition for New Zealand buyers," Mr Ramsden said. "It would make a great training farm, too."

Another alternative is co-operative farming, he says. "This could be the way forward for a lot of our land, we just have to think about different options to keep our land in New Zealanders' hands."