Government’s Woolshed Roadshow coming to Eltham

Last week’s Woolshed Roadshow launch in Wairarapa. Todd McClay, right, with Wairarapa MP Mike Butterick, left, and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson.

The town will come to the country at an Eltham woolshed next week as the Coalition Government’s Woolshed Roadshow rolls down No 2 Line.

Last year National’s Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay made a commitment to get Wellington out of farming and next Wednesday he is coming to Taranaki as part of this commitment.

The national woolshed roadshow began last week in the Wairarapa, and will be touring around the country in the coming months.

“New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is the backbone of our economy, contributing over 80 per cent of our goods exports to feed an estimated 40 million people worldwide,” McClay said.

“A strong and thriving agricultural sector is crucial to the New Zealand economy,” he said.

Farmers have faced tough times with high domestic inflation rates, interest rates, adverse weather events, and increasing farm input costs.

Addressing red tape is a government priority so that farmers can focus on being the most efficient food and fibre producers in the world, he said.

McClay said, “We have a busy and critically important work programme in the agriculture portfolio ahead of us to get our country back on track.”

McClay will be returning to the roadshow after a trip to China where he met with senior agricultural, trade and foreign affairs officials.

The Eltham meeting will be held at Myles and Vanessa Cartwright’s woolshed at 50B Old Lakes Road, Maata, Eltham on Wednesday 24th April between 10.15 and 11.45am.

McClay will be accompanied by Whanganui MP Carl Bates.

In the afternoon McClay and Bates will meet farmers near Fordell where they will be joined by Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard.

There will also be an opportunity for farmers in the Pātea-Waverley area to catch up with the McClay at Hind Quarters Cafe in Waverley at 12.45pm where he and Bates will stop for coffee.

Bates said the in-person meetings are important to him and his colleagues.

“It is important for us to hear from farmers face-to-face, and for us to reassure them that this Government has their backs.

“It was also important for me that Taranaki and Whanganui were included in the tour so the ministers could hear directly what I have been sharing with them from my constituents.”