East Coast farmer Graeme Williams says forestry changes need to happen now

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The Government's taking a step in the right direction in making forestry rule changes but time is of the essence, East Coast farmer Graeme Williams says.

Yesterday Associate Minister of Finance David Parker announced the Government will wind back rules which have made it easier for foreign investors to purchase farmland in New Zealand for forestry conversions.

Williams commended Parker for the move and for saying it would help ensure the right forest was planted in the right place, for the right reasons.

However, the bill was expected to be introduced to Parliament in a few months, which Williams had a problem with.

The Forest Owners Association and various members of Parliament had recently expressed concern about overseas investors acquiring prime pastoral land for forestry, Williams said.

Their sentiments echoed the worries of farmers and rural communities who believe sheep and beef farms will be sold off and planted in trees for carbon farming, rather than production forestry, he told The Country's Jamie Mackay.

Williams couldn't understand why there was a delay in making changes if everyone was on board.

"These things need to happen right now. They're all saying it needs to happen. Why are we waiting?"

Figures provided by the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) show between 2019 and 2021 36,000 hectares of farmland had been approved for sale to overseas investors.

Mackay claimed that both the Government and the Forest Owners Association insisted that hardly any of this land had gone to carbon farming.

Williams remained sceptical.

"I don't believe it for one minute."

OIO applications could also take time to go through and Williams was concerned this would slow the process down even further.

"Everybody appears to be on the same page so why not stop it right now – or at least put a hold on it – and look at the whole situation."

Williams saw how sales of productive pastoral land had affected rural communities on the East Coast when Ihungia Station went to forestry.

Listen below:

"I saw what happened when Ihungia school closed down in about the year 2000.

"Ihungia went west into trees but all the other stations went west as well because the staff on those stations didn't have a school for the children and it was just a real skittle effect. That is the issue."

The proposed sale of the iconic Huiarua Station on the East Coast was a new concern.

"It's just so unnecessary because it's some of the best land in the world producing the most efficient produce in the world. It's a no-brainer.

"I just can't understand why they don't just say - right, we'll put a freeze on it now and sort it out - because we're all on the same page it appears to me."

As for any farmer considering selling land to overseas investors for forestry, Williams suggested setting up a syndicate to buy the station and keep it in pastoral farming.

"I don't think there's any real discrepancy that that would be ultimately for the benefit of all New Zealanders."