Martin Meir: Help change false perceptions about farming

Martin Meir finds cows to be fascinating.

Cows are fascinating. They actively seek out other cows in a herd with which they prefer to spend their time with. There is the leader, always first out of the paddock; the obstructive ones and then those who like to play hide and seek when you thought all the cows have gone to the next paddock.

During the April floods a lot was done to save stock in danger. Darryl Jensen, president of the Federated Farmers' Bay of Plenty branch, said farmers would not be able to sleep until they knew their animals were safe. He knew what I knew - farmers spend a lot of time with their animals and are passionate about their welfare.

Driving through the countryside you will notice patches of unproductive farmland where native bush has been proudly kept by farmers. Many farmers have taken a stand to make a contribution to conservation of native bush, forest and wetlands.

The numbers confirm this. Farmers are the biggest private contributors to the QEII Trust in which they freely covenant parts of their land to be protected in perpetuity. I was not surprised. Farmers have been environmentalist even before it became fashionable.

Farmers have a special connection to the land. They work it every day. They want to pass the land on to the next generation in better shape than they received it. That is how I see farmers - thinking about the future.

That is why I am frustrated. It has become a norm to say farmers don't care about the environment, their animals or the future. It just is not true. Unfortunately, this impression is getting traction.

We challenge farmers to become involved and help us change this perception. Talk to your council, or, if you prefer, talk to Federated Farmers or other farming representative groups. If you are not a farmer, go have a look for yourself. While you are there see if you can find the cow hiding at the back of the paddock.