Comment: Why you need to support Feds

Federated Farmers Rotorua/Taupo outgoing provincial president Alan Wills. Photo / Supplied

Comment: A Federated Farmers' membership is all about being a team player, writes Rotorua/Taupo outgoing provincial president Alan Wills.

Every week, hours of unpaid overtime or volunteer work occur to help enable New Zealand farming to exist.

The work of people involved in Federated Farmers, both as elected representatives and those who work within the Fed's network, both provincially and in Wellington, are so vital to the wellbeing of the regions.

Provincial economies are a delicate balance and what is not really understood is the contribution the rural community makes to the overall wellbeing of the people of New Zealand.

That is represented in the ongoing challenge the provincial primary industries and their supporting communities have of effectively telling our stories.

Read more from Federated Farmers here.

Just recently a policy and advocacy report came across my desk, 43 A4 pages of it, detailing economic policy, industry issues, biosecurity policy, local government, fresh water management, rural education, regional issues such as the Lake Rotorua and the Waikato River catchment plans and everything else that impacts on the rural and regional communities.

This document proves the value of the Federated Farmers annual subscription.

Those who live and farm in our regions, and who make the call to not take a membership frustrate those who are working hard for and within the organisation.

Between $600 and $700 for a full membership is the equivalent of 100kg of milk solids, or four or five prime lambs.

The fee is an insignificant contribution to the impressive infrastructure of the policy and advocacy that is within Federated Farmers representing us to the Government, local government and industry organisations.

There is a bigger picture out there and there is not enough resources to go around if too many people think individually.

Membership and funding is one of the big internal challenges facing Federated Farmers – you owe it to the advocacy group to support it – it has backed you and will continue to back you. So, consider that taking a membership is all about being a team player.

We have a very good team and its work is significant in the ongoing welfare and wellbeing of the rural regions.

Make sure you are part of that team effort.