Farmers support new bill to limit power of banks

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The Government's taking some power away from banks when it comes to dealing with farmers.

The Farm Debt Mediation Bill will require banks to offer mediation before putting farms into receivership or liquidation.

It comes as farm debt is almost at $63 billion, up 270 per cent compared to 20 years ago.

Sharon Jansen and her partner Tony Kingston are contract milkers at Atiamuri and she told Mike Hosking there have been several cases of banks taking advantage of farmers this year alone.

"There are many, many sharemilkers and contract milkers out there who are in exactly the same situation. They pull the rug out from underneath you."

Listen to the full interview below:

She says they had trouble with the banks when they owed money, saying that it hit them like a ton of bricks.

"They rang for the first time after having a myriad of account managers that never contacted us, we got a phone call from the fifth one ... just to see how things were going and then to say at the end of the conversation that things weren't looking good, seven days out from the end of last season."

Jansen says that they then received a letter saying they wouldn't receive funding. It came at a time that they were meant to be moving and setting up for the next season.

They were helped by supportive family members, who Jansen says got them through it.

She says that many people would appreciate her story, and she believes that mediation would be a big help.