Animal welfare a major concern for most farmers

By CHARLIE PEDERSEN*

Farmers are first and foremost businesspeople, and the vast majority would agree with Catriona MacLennan that it makes good business sense for the agricultural sector to treat animals with care.

It is unfortunate, however, that her Perspectives article judged all farmers by the actions of a few. The vast majority of farmers find the mistreatment of animals morally repugnant and totally unacceptable. Excuses of townie ignorance about farming do not wash.

The welfare of animals is safeguarded by the 1999 Animal Welfare Act, which requires those in charge of animals to take all reasonable steps to ensure the physical, health and behavioural needs of those animals, according to both good practice and scientific knowledge.

The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, of which I am a member, was established under the act to advise on issues relating to animal welfare.

Federated Farmers strongly promotes good animal welfare practices by all stock farmers. In the exceptional case in which there is blatant abuse of animal welfare, we fully support any action that Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry animal welfare inspectors see fit to take.

Federated Farmers gets involved because our people are often best placed to help in a stressful situation, and because in many cases there is no one else prepared to take on the role or who possesses the skills. In the past, our membership has freely given of their time to achieve some good results when situations get out of hand.

However, those members who have been involved in animal welfare situations are frustrated that they are the classic "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff". While they know it is important to move quickly to achieve the best for the animals, they ask how it is that we allow these ugly incidents to occur.

The fact is that many of these cases have their origins in decisions, or lack of decisions, months or even years before. As part of the farming community, the federation encourages its members to keep an eye on neighbours, especially in a difficult season or when the neighbour is inexperienced or new to the area and under financial pressure.

Often, however, situations arise out of multiple problems such as family stresses, which can affect the farm business and decision-making.

Farmers are consumer-focused. They know that consumers around the world are considerably more discerning than they used to be in their buying habits. Consumers no longer take promotional messages at face value, and our processing companies are embracing the need to benchmark on-farm quality assurance programmes against National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee standards. Therefore, it is important that the failures of a few do not taint New Zealand's image.

Any case reaching the media is a failure for the farmer involved, for the industry and, most importantly, the animals. Federated Farmers is working with rural sector organisations to prevent animal welfare cases developing, and there are resources we can draw on to help.

But none of this will be any use if people do not come forward to seek help - either for themselves or for their neighbours.

Federated Farmers has a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the SPCA that ensures its members are brought in to assist should an animal welfare situation occur.

The public can use the ministry's animal welfare complaint hotline - 0800 327-027.

* Charlie Pedersen, a Foxton dairy farmer, is Federated Farmers' national vice-president. He is responding to the view of Catriona MacLennan that animal suffering is bad for business and a threat to the economy.