Beef + Lamb NZ organises roadshow to discuss concerns raised at annual meeting

Group chair Kate Acland says Beef + Lamb NZ wants to listen to what farmers are saying so it has organised a roadshow, which will run from the end of May through June. Photo / Supplied / Beef+Lamb NZ

RNZ

Beef + Lamb New Zealand has arranged a series of talks around the country so farmers can provide feedback on any concerns raised at the group’s recent annual meeting.

Nine remits were tabled at the March meeting, two were in relation to He Waka Eke Noa - the industry partnership working with the Government to shape how farmers will pay for their on-farm emissions.

Nearly 49 per cent of those who voted, voted in favour of leaving the partnership, 44 per cent were against leaving, and nearly 7 per cent abstained.

But only about 22 per cent of Beef + Lamb NZ’s farmers engaged in the remit process.

Group chair Kate Acland said the organisation wanted to listen to what farmers were saying so it had arranged a roadshow that would run the length of the country from the end of May through June.

“The remits received and the mood at the annual meeting show there are some farmers who are unhappy out there and we need to listen to their concerns and respond appropriately.”

Acland said these concerns were about the cumulative impact of layers of legislation and the relentless scale and pace of proposed regulatory change.

“The board has already said it agrees with many of the remits or is already doing work towards what has been proposed but there are clearly areas where we need to do more.

“Farmers have raised some legitimate concerns - we are listening and acknowledge there’s always more B+LNZ could do to improve.”

- RNZ