Federated Farmers Vice President and Forestry Spokeman Andrew Hoggard. Photo / Supplied
Comment: Government policy seems to be going out of its way to prefer forestry over farming, writes Federated Farmers Vice President and Forestry Spokesman Andrew Hoggard.
As a rule, Federated Farmers does not tell farmers what to do with their farm.
However, we are concerned to see industrial forestry replace
farms, government legislation and policy potentially distorting land markets in favour of forestry, and thus the risk that mass afforestation poses to the existence of rural communities.
We understand trees can be good for several reasons including investment, animal shelter and biodiversity, but – it's about the right tree, for the right purpose.
There are challenges for farmers in getting trees right. They need to understand what to plant, how to plant and where. They need to know if trees can be harvested when mature, if so, how.
